The Union Minister for Ports, Shipping & Waterways also announced that the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Project, linking India’s Northeast with Myanmar, would be operational by 2027.
The government has allocated ₹50 billion for the development of waterways and the maritime sector in India’s northeastern region, according to Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways. The budget includes provisions for training local youth in maritime sector skills over the next decade and ensuring year-round river navigability.
“Our vision is to train, enable, and empower 50,000 youth from the Northeast with world-class maritime skills over the next ten years, ensuring meaningful employment and growth. Our centres in Guwahati and Dibrugarh will be the backbone of this transformation,” Sonowal said at a press conference in Guwahati on Monday.
The Maritime Skill Development Centre (MSDC) in Guwahati and the upcoming Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Dibrugarh are central to this initiative. The CoE will be developed with an investment of ₹2 billion. Together, the two centres are expected to generate around 500 jobs annually.
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways has undertaken projects worth ₹10 billion in the Northeast’s inland waterways sector over the past two years, with ₹3 billion worth of work completed and ₹7 billion scheduled for completion by 2025.
Feasibility studies for cruise tourism have confirmed the viability of operations in Guwahati, Tezpur, and Dibrugarh, and vessels are being procured under central schemes. Efforts are also underway to expand inland water transport (IWT) infrastructure and promote water-based tourism in Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura. The operationalisation of the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route (IBPR) offers new trade corridors that bypass the Siliguri Corridor, enhancing regional connectivity and aligning with the broader vision of the Atmanirbhar Bharat or self-reliant India initiative.
Round-the-Year River Navigability
Other key initiatives include the deployment of 100 barges operated by a global logistics major on National Waterway 2 (NW2), with 16 expected by 2025, to significantly enhance cargo movement across Assam and neighbouring states. To ensure year-round navigability, the ministry plans to deploy ten amphibious and cutter-section dredgers, backed by an investment of ₹6.1 billion. Sonowal also announced plans to develop 85 community jetties across the Northeast to improve local connectivity.
He emphasised that the economic potential of the Brahmaputra and Barak rivers is being unlocked through this investment in dredging infrastructure, which will ensure all-weather navigability.
“This will transform cargo movement, create new trade routes, and strengthen economic linkages across Assam and the entire Northeast. By combining this with 100 modern barges operated by global logistics major Rhenus from Germany, and 85 community jetties, we aim to build an integrated and sustainable waterways network that empowers local communities and drives growth.”
Highlighting efforts to support tourism and regional trade, Sonowal stated that ₹3 billion will be invested in building new tourism and cargo jetties at Silghat, Neamati, Biswanath Ghat, and Guijan. In a major step towards modern urban transport, water metro projects are planned in Guwahati, Tezpur, and Dibrugarh, with feasibility studies already completed.
Lighthouses will also be constructed at Pandu, Tezpur, Biswanath, and Bogibeel, each equipped with India Meteorological Department (IMD) centres to provide accurate local weather forecasts.
Kaladan Multimodal Project by 2027
Responding to a query on the status of the Kaladan multimodal transport corridor, Sonowal said, “The Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project (KMTTP), a result of the India-Myanmar Friendship Treaty, is a strategic initiative to enhance connectivity between India’s Northeast and Myanmar. It is set to be fully operational by 2027.”
He credited the government’s ‘Act East’ policy under Prime Minister Narendra Modi for enabling direct and shorter access to international sea routes for a region that was once landlocked.
“The swift execution of the Sittwe Port in Myanmar is a testament to this commitment. Once fully operational, the region will unlock new trade opportunities not just for Northeast India, but also for Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Myanmar by connecting them with Southeast Asia.”
The Sittwe Port, part of the KMTTP, links Myanmar to India via inland waterways and road, connecting Paletwa to Zorinpui in Mizoram and further to Tripura through Bangladesh’s Teknaf-Sabroom route. This corridor significantly reduces transport time and costs. Myanmar’s key exports through Sittwe include rice, timber, seafood, and garments, while its imports comprise construction materials such as cement and steel.