India Sets Sail on a ₹60,000 Cr PPP Course

Ports ministry bets on private sector partnership, green corridors, and mega harbours to redraw trade routes by 2030

- BS REPORTER

The government has identified 50 public-private partnership (PPP) projects worth over ₹60,000 crore—well above the nearly 13,000 crore target of the first National Monetisation Pipeline—said Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal at the Business Standard Infrastructure Summit on August 21.

Further, the government aims to raise the share of private participation in major ports to 85 per cent by 2030, he said in his keynote address. The new Indian Ports Bill, 2025, also lays out clear provisions for PPPs and foreign investment, giving ports greater autonomy to set competitive tariffs and plan long-term development.

"These initiatives, combined with the establishment of bodies like the Maritime State Development Council and State Maritime Boards, are expected to foster cooperative federalism and create a strong ecosystem for private and foreign investment," Sonowal said.

He added that alternative trade corridors such as the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) and the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) are also being developed to counter geopolitical risks.

"That is the way we are creating, considering the geopolitical situation. It is not that we are silent. We are putting efforts and finding an alternative way out so that our voice can be continued with power, energy, and vision," the minister said.

Vadhavan port to dwarf all others The greenfield port at Vadhavan in Maharashtra, with an investment of ₹76,000 crore, will be India's biggest port by capacity when operational, with phases due in 2029 and 2037. The port is positioned to serve as a gateway for IMEC and INSTC.

According to the project proposal, the government will invest about ₹38,000 crore, with a similar amount expected from private players winning bids for nine terminals.