It represents a major reform in India’s insurance sector, aimed at expanding coverage and advancing the vision of “Insurance for All by 2047.” The most significant change introduced by the Bill is the increase in the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) limit in insurance companies from 74% to 100%, allowing full foreign ownership to attract long-term capital, advanced technology, and global best practices.
The Bill amends key legislations, including the Insurance Act, 1938, LIC Act, 1956, and IRDA Act, 1999, to modernise the regulatory framework and strengthen oversight. It liberalises the reinsurance sector by reducing the Net Owned Fund requirement for Foreign Reinsurance Branches from ₹5,000 crore to ₹1,000 crore, positioning India as a potential regional reinsurance hub.
To enhance consumer protection, the Bill provides for the creation of a Policyholders’ Education and Protection Fundand mandates compliance with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 for handling policyholder data. It also significantly strengthens the powers of IRDAI, enabling inspections, investigations, searches, and seizures to curb malpractices and ensure regulatory compliance. Additionally, LIC is granted greater operational autonomy, including freedom to open zonal offices without prior government approval. Overall, the Bill seeks to balance ease of doing business with stronger regulation and consumer safeguards.
The Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 introduces wide-ranging reforms to the legal and administrative framework governing Waqf properties in India, with the stated objectives of enhancing transparency, protecting property rights, strengthening accountability, and ensuring social inclusion. A key reform is the clear separation of secular trusts from Waqf: trusts created by Muslims under any general or secular law are no longer treated as Waqf, thereby ensuring that such trusts remain under the full control of their creators and are not automatically subjected to Waqf regulation.
The Act tightens eligibility conditions for Waqf dedication, providing that only Muslims who have been practising the religion for at least five years may dedicate property as Waqf. At the same time, it protects continuity by allowing properties already registered with Waqf Boards to remain so, unless they are disputed or identified as government land.
A significant rights-based reform concerns family Waqf (Waqf-al-aulad). The Act mandates that women must receive their lawful inheritance before any property is dedicated as Waqf, with special safeguards for widows, divorced women, and orphans. This seeks to prevent the use of Waqf as a device to defeat inheritance rights.
The Act also removes Section 40 of the Waqf Act, 1995, which earlier empowered Waqf Boards to unilaterally declare properties as Waqf. Its deletion curtails arbitrary property claims and reinforces due process. Disputes are to be adjudicated by reconstituted Waqf Tribunals comprising a district judge, a senior state government officer, and an expert in Muslim law, with a direct right of appeal to the High Court within 90 days.
To protect public assets, claims over government land as Waqf must be investigated by an officer above the rank of Collector. Financial reforms include reducing the mandatory annual contribution by Waqf institutions to Boards from 7% to 5% and introducing compulsory audits for institutions earning over ₹1 lakh annually.
Finally, the Act mandates a centralised digital portal for Waqf property management, compulsory registration by mutawallis, inclusive representation on Waqf Boards (including women and non-Muslims), and applies the Limitation Act, 1963 to Waqf disputes, promoting time-bound resolution and legal certainty.
The Disaster Management (Amendment) Act, 2025 amends the Disaster Management Act, 2005 with the objective of strengthening India’s disaster governance framework, improving institutional clarity, and aligning disaster management with emerging risks such as climate change and urbanisation. The amendments reflect a shift towards a more authority-driven, data-oriented, and preparedness-focused disaster management system.
A key institutional change relates to disaster management planning. Under the amended Act, the responsibility for preparing disaster management plans is vested directly in the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs), instead of the National and State Executive Committees. This change centralises planning functions in statutory authorities with clearer accountability and policy oversight.
The Act expands the functional mandate of disaster management authorities. Disaster management now explicitly includes activities such as disaster risk assessment (including climate-related risks), provision of technical assistance, formulation of relief standards, and maintenance of comprehensive disaster-related databases. This broadens the scope of disaster management beyond post-disaster response to include prevention, preparedness, and mitigation.
The amendments confer enhanced regulatory powers on the NDMA. The Authority is empowered to frame regulations under the Act, including specifying the number, categories, and conditions of service of officers and employees, subject to prior approval of the Central Government. Additionally, the NDMA may appoint officers, experts, and consultants to support its functions, reinforcing its institutional capacity.
To strengthen disaster governance at multiple levels, the Act mandates the creation of national and state-level disaster databases for systematic collection and use of disaster-related data. It also enables States to establish Urban Disaster Management Authorities (UDMAs) for capital cities and major urban centres, recognising the distinct disaster vulnerabilities of urban areas. Further, States are empowered to constitute State Disaster Response Forces (SDRFs) and define their roles and functions through law.
The Act grants statutory status to key coordination bodies, including the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC), designated as the nodal body for managing major disasters, and the High-Level Committee (HLC), responsible for overseeing financial assistance to States. Overall, the amendments aim to enhance coordination, preparedness, and institutional resilience in India’s disaster management framework.
It proposes a new statutory framework for rural wage employment and livelihoods, replacing the universal approach of MGNREGA with a conditional and targeted employment guarantee model. It provides a legal guarantee of 125 days of wage employment per rural household per financial year to adult members willing to undertake unskilled manual work. However, unlike MGNREGA, this guarantee is not nationwide and applies only to rural areas notified by the Union Government, making coverage selective rather than universal.
A central feature is its emphasis on bottom-up planning through mandatory preparation of Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans (VGPPs). These plans are to be developed using spatial and digital technologies, aggregated at block, district, and state levels, and integrated with the PM Gati Shakti framework to ensure coordinated infrastructure and asset creation.
It restructures the programme as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) with a revised cost-sharing pattern of 60:40 between the Centre and most States, substantially increasing the fiscal burden on States compared to the earlier MGNREGA model. Only North-Eastern and Himalayan States and Union Territories retain a 90:10 ratio. Further, annual State-wise allocations are to be determined by the Union Government based on objective criteria, limiting States’ flexibility to respond to distress-driven demand.
It introduces seasonal flexibility, allowing States to pause the programme for up to 60 days during peak agricultural seasons to avoid labour shortages. It also mandates payment of an unemployment allowance by States if employment is not provided within 15 days of demand, reinforcing the rights-based character of the scheme despite its conditional scope.
It repeals four outdated laws: the Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920, the Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939, the Foreigners Act, 1946, and the Immigration (Carriers’ Liability) Act, 2000.
These provisions collectively aim to enhance immigration control, internal security, and regulatory oversight while establishing a rule-based framework for managing foreign nationals in India.
It represents a fundamental overhaul of India’s civil nuclear energy governance framework. The act repeals and replaces two cornerstone legislations—the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage (CLND) Act, 2010—and introduces a single, consolidated legal regime to regulate nuclear power generation, safety, and liability in India.
A defining feature is the opening up of the nuclear power sector to private and foreign participation. For the first time since Independence, private Indian companies, joint ventures, and foreign entities are permitted to build, own, operate, and decommission nuclear power plants, ending the exclusive operational role of Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited. This reform is intended to mobilise large-scale capital, advanced technology, and managerial expertise to accelerate nuclear capacity expansion.
At the same time, it carefully retains strategic state control over sensitive domains such as nuclear fuel production, heavy water manufacture, and radioactive waste management, thereby safeguarding national security interests and non-proliferation commitments.
SHANTI introduces a restructured regulatory and liability framework. It grants statutory status to the nuclear regulator, enhances parliamentary oversight, and replaces India’s earlier liability regime by removing supplier liability and capping operator liability based on installed capacity. This approach aligns India’s nuclear liability system with international conventions and reduces financial uncertainty for investors.
By enabling regulatory clarity and private participation, it facilitates the deployment of advanced nuclear technologies, including Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and indigenous reactor designs. Overall, the SHANTI act positions nuclear energy as a central pillar of India’s clean energy transition, energy security strategy, and long-term net-zero ambitions.
It seeks to create a unified, principle-based legal framework for India’s securities market by consolidating and replacing three key legislations: the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956, the SEBI Act, 1992, and the Depositories Act, 1996. The objective is to eliminate regulatory overlap, outdated provisions, and fragmented enforcement, while strengthening market integrity and investor confidence.
It significantly strengthens the governance architecture of SEBI by expanding its Board from 9 to 15 members, increasing whole-time members, and enhancing institutional capacity for specialised regulation. It introduces a graded enforcement framework, decriminalising minor, technical, and procedural violations by shifting them to civil penalties, while reserving criminal liability for serious offences such as insider trading and market abuse.
Contraventions are clearly classified, and an eight-year limitation period on inspections is introduced to ensure legal certainty and closure. Robust conflict-of-interest norms mandate disclosures, recusal, and empower SEBI to remove non-compliant board members. It also strengthens investor protection through mandatory investor charters and grievance redress mechanisms. Further, it enables delegation to Market Infrastructure Institutions and Self-Regulatory Organisations and improves inter-regulatory coordination, supporting market deepening, innovation, and ease of doing business.
The Indian Ports Act, 2025, passed by Parliament in August 2025, replaces the Indian Ports Act, 1908, marking a decisive shift from a colonial regulatory framework to a modern, development-oriented port governance regime. The Act aims to promote integrated port development, cooperative federalism, and global competitiveness across India’s port sector.
A central feature of the Act is the formal statutory recognition of State Maritime Boards, empowering coastal States to plan, license, regulate tariffs, and ensure compliance at non-major ports. At the national level, the Maritime State Development Council (MSDC) is granted statutory status to facilitate data transparency, policy coordination, and Centre–State collaboration in port planning.
The Act designates the Conservator as the port officer, vested with powers relating to vessel movement, safety enforcement, disease control, fee recovery, and adjudication of penalties. To address disputes efficiently, it mandates the establishment of Dispute Resolution Committees (DRCs) at non-major ports, permits arbitration, and provides for appeals to High Courts.
In tariff regulation, the Act introduces a differentiated but transparent framework: tariffs at major ports are set by port authority boards or company boards, while non-major port tariffs are determined by State Maritime Boards or concessionaires, with mandatory online disclosure. The Act strengthens safety, environmental protection, and sustainability, aligning port operations with international conventions such as MARPOL and Ballast Water Management, and mandates pollution control and disaster preparedness. It also promotes digitalisation through tools like the Maritime Single Window and advanced vessel traffic systems, enhancing efficiency and ease of doing business.
It establishes a comprehensive statutory framework for the governance, regulation, and accountability of sports bodies in India. The act empowers the Central Government to constitute the National Sports Board (NSB) and formally recognises national-level institutions such as the National Olympic Committee, National Paralympic Committee, and sport-wise National Sports Federations. The NSB is vested with wide regulatory powers, including recognition, suspension, or cancellation of sports bodies; conducting inquiries; framing a Code of Ethics and Safe Sports Policy; regulating elections through a National Sports Election Panel; and ensuring compliance with international sporting norms.
The act mandates a standardised governance structure for national and regional sports federations affiliated with international bodies. Each federation must have a General Body and a 15-member Executive Committee, including at least two eminent sportspersons and four women, along with mandatory Ethics, Dispute Resolution, and Athletes’ Committees. To ensure speedy justice, the act establishes a National Sports Tribunal, a three-member body chaired by a serving or former Supreme Court judge or Chief Justice of a High Court, with civil court powers. Its jurisdiction excludes doping matters, internal disputes, and issues relating to international events, with appeals lying directly to the Supreme Court.
Recognised sports bodies are treated as public authorities under the RTI Act only if they receive government funding, and must maintain CAG-audited accounts. The Central Government retains rule-making powers and may restrict international participation on grounds of security, public order, or safety.
The act strengthens India’s anti-doping legal regime by amending the National Anti-Doping Act, 2022, with the objective of aligning domestic law with the UNESCO Convention against Doping in Sports. The act reinforces the prohibition on the use of performance-enhancing substances and methods, ensuring fairness and integrity in competitive sports.
The amendment enhances the powers and functions of the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA), authorising it to implement anti-doping rules, conduct testing and investigations, and enforce compliance across sports disciplines. It also establishes the National Board for Anti-Doping in Sports as an oversight body to supervise NADA, advise the Central Government on policy matters, and access information from disciplinary and appellate panels.
A key feature of the act is the codification of a clear and exhaustive list of anti-doping rule violations, providing legal certainty in enforcement and adjudication. By strengthening institutional oversight, standardising violations, and aligning with international norms, the Bill aims to enhance credibility, compliance, and effectiveness of India’s anti-doping framework.
The act passed by Parliament in August 2025, seeks to strengthen India’s mineral security by boosting the exploration and production of critical and strategic minerals in line with the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM). The act amends the MMDR Act, 1957 to support sustainable, technology-driven, and zero-waste mining practices.
A key provision allows existing mining leaseholders to add notified critical and strategic minerals to their leases without payment of additional royalty, enabling faster extraction of minerals essential for clean energy, electronics, and advanced manufacturing. The act introduces institutional reforms, including enabling the government to establish mineral exchanges to improve transparency and efficiency in mineral trading. It also renames the National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET) as the National Mineral Exploration and Development Trust (NMEDT) and increases the royalty contribution from 2% to 3% to enhance funding for exploration and mine development.
The act promotes deep-seated, offshore, and zero-waste mining, including exploration of resources such as polymetallic nodules in the Andaman Sea. It removes the 50% sale cap on captive mines, allowing unrestricted sale of minerals after meeting end-use requirements. Additionally, it provides a one-time extension of lease areas for deep-seated minerals—up to 10% for mining leases and 30% for composite licences—to improve resource viability and production efficiency.
It seeks to implement India’s obligations under the Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment (Cape Town Convention, 2001) and its Protocol on Aircraft Equipment, to which India became a signatory in 2008. These international agreements aim to create a uniform and predictable legal framework for securing rights over high-value mobile assets such as aircraft, helicopters, and aircraft engines.
It integrates these global standards into India’s domestic legal system to enhance legal certainty, creditor confidence, and investment security, particularly in the aviation leasing and financing sector. It empowers the Central Government to frame rules for effective implementation of the Convention and the Protocol. The legislation designates the Directorate General of Civil Aviation as the registry authority, responsible for the registration and de-registration of aircraft.
A key feature is the establishment of clear creditor remedies in case of default. Creditors are required to notify the DGCA before initiating enforcement actions and are entitled to recover aircraft objects within two months of default, or within a mutually agreed timeframe. Overall, the act strengthens India’s aviation financing ecosystem by aligning domestic law with international best practices.
The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025, referred to a Select Committee of Parliament, seeks to address persistent delays in insolvency resolution, maximise value for stakeholders, and align India’s insolvency regime with global best practices.
A central focus of the Bill is expediting the insolvency process. It proposes mandatory timelines for the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), requiring admission of insolvency applications within 14 days and approval of resolution plans within 30 days, thereby reducing procedural uncertainty. The Bill also introduces an out-of-court, creditor-initiated resolution mechanism, aimed at faster, cost-effective restructuring with minimal business disruption and reduced judicial burden.
To maximise value and protect stakeholder interests, the Bill empowers the NCLT to restore the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP) in exceptional circumstances where no resolution plan is approved or an approved plan is rejected, subject to a request from the Committee of Creditors (CoC).
The Bill strengthens governance and systemic efficiency by introducing a voluntary group insolvency framework, enabling coordinated resolution of financially stressed entities within a domestic corporate group. It also proposes a cross-border insolvency framework, facilitating access to overseas assets and harmonisation with international insolvency standards. Further, the Bill explicitly reinforces the clean-slate principle, clarifying that once a resolution plan is approved, all prior claims against the corporate debtor stand extinguished unless expressly preserved.
It replaces the Income Tax Act, 1961 with the objective of simplifying, modernising, and rationalising India’s direct tax law. The earlier Act had become complex and opaque after decades of amendments, granting wide discretion to tax authorities and causing compliance difficulties for taxpayers. The new law significantly streamlines the statute by reducing chapters from 47 to 23, sections from 819 to 536, and halving the overall length, while increasing the use of tables, formulae, and simplified language to improve clarity and accessibility.
Following concerns over its first draft, the Bill was examined by a Select Committee, whose recommendations were incorporated into a revised version to avoid parallel drafts. Substantively, the Bill does not alter tax rates or slabs, which remain within the Union Budget’s domain. It introduces the concept of a “tax year” (April 1–March 31), separates provisions on MAT and AMT for clarity, allows taxpayers to update returns up to four years, and reduces the reopening period for assessments to five years, enhancing certainty.
However, the Bill raises privacy concerns by expanding search and seizure powers in the digital domain. Taxpayers may be required to provide technical assistance, including passwords, for accessing electronic records across emails, cloud storage, and digital platforms. While the government argues this reflects modern financial realities, critics warn of potential overreach and risks to digital privacy, notwithstanding assurances of safeguards through standard operating procedures.
It seeks to amend the Income-tax Act, 1961 and the Finance Act, 2025. The amendments primarily address pension-related tax exemptions, extend incentives for foreign sovereign investment, and clarify procedures relating to search and block assessments.
A major component relates to tax exemptions for the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS), which has been introduced as an alternative pension scheme for Central Government employees from the financial year 2025–26. The Bill extends income-tax exemptions—similar to those available under the National Pension System—to payments received under UPS. These include exemptions for up to 60% of the pension corpus received on superannuation, voluntary retirement, or retirement, as well as exemptions for lump-sum amounts received under the scheme. It further clarifies that transfers from an individual’s UPS corpus to the pooled corpus, comprising additional government contributions, will not be treated as taxable income.
It also broadens the scope of tax exemptions for sovereign wealth funds. It extends existing exemptions to income earned from investments in India by the Public Investment Fund of the Government of Saudi Arabia and its wholly owned subsidiary, subject to specified conditions. This measure is intended to promote long-term foreign capital inflows.
Additionally, it introduces a clarification in block assessment procedures in search cases. It provides that if a notice for assessment, reassessment, or recomputation is issued after the initiation of a search but before its completion, such proceedings shall abate on the date of issue of the notice, except for the assessment year in which the final search authorisation is executed. Overall, the Bill seeks to enhance clarity, consistency, and investment-friendliness within the tax framework.
The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025, introduced in the Lok Sabha, seeks to further decriminalise and rationalise offences across multiple Central laws with the objective of promoting trust-based governance, enhancing ease of living, and improving ease of doing business. The Bill builds upon the Jan Vishwas Act, 2023, which had decriminalised 183 provisions across 42 Central Acts, and extends similar reforms to 16 Central Acts administered by 10 Ministries and Departments.
A key feature of the Bill is its differentiated approach to compliance. For 76 offences across 10 Acts, first-time contraventions will attract only an advisory or warning, rather than punitive action. This marks a shift from a punishment-centric framework to a corrective and facilitative compliance model. The Bill also removes imprisonment provisions for minor, technical, and procedural offences, replacing them with monetary penalties or warnings, including further decriminalisation under laws such as the Tea Act, 1953 and the Legal Metrology Act, 2009.
The Bill introduces rationalised and proportionate penalties, with graded escalation for repeat violations, ensuring deterrence without excessive criminalisation. To improve enforcement efficiency, it establishes an administrative adjudication mechanism, empowering designated officers to impose penalties through streamlined processes, thereby reducing judicial burden. Additionally, it provides for an automatic revision of fines and penalties by 10% every three years, ensuring their continued effectiveness without frequent legislative amendments. Overall, the Bill reinforces regulatory efficiency while balancing accountability with trust.
It is part of the government’s broader initiative to simplify, modernise, and rationalise India’s statute book. The act aims to remove legal clutter by repealing and amending laws that have become obsolete, redundant, or outdated, thereby improving legislative clarity and ease of governance.
A key feature is the repeal of 71 central Acts that have either served their purpose or are no longer relevant in the present socio-economic and administrative context. Examples include the Indian Tramways Act, 1886, the Levy Sugar Price Equalisation Fund Act, 1976, and the Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (Determination of Conditions of Service of Employees) Act, 1988. Their repeal helps eliminate colonial-era and sector-specific laws that no longer have practical applicability.
In addition, the act amends four existing laws to correct drafting errors, update outdated terminology, and remove discriminatory provisions. Notably, it amends the Indian Succession Act, 1925 by removing Section 213, which imposed probate requirements on certain religious groups in specific metropolitan areas. It also corrects a drafting error in the Disaster Management Act, 2005 by substituting “prevention” with “preparation” in Section 30. Further, the General Clauses Act, 1897 and the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 are updated to replace the term “registered post” with “speed post with registration”, reflecting contemporary postal practices. Overall, the act strengthens legal coherence and legislative efficiency.
The act modernises India’s maritime commercial law by replacing the colonial-era Indian Bills of Lading Act, 1856, which had become inadequate for contemporary global shipping practices. A bill of lading is a core legal instrument in international trade, serving as proof of shipment, evidence of contract of carriage, and a document of title for goods transported by sea.
The 2025 act retains the substantive legal principles governing bills of lading while simplifying language, structure, and procedures to improve clarity and reduce interpretational disputes. It establishes clear rights and liabilities of carriers, shippers, and consignees, thereby lowering litigation risks and transaction costs in maritime trade. By aligning domestic law with international best practices, the legislation enhances predictability and legal certainty for cross-border shipping transactions.
The act empowers the Central Government to issue directions for effective implementation and incorporates a standard repeal-and-saving clause to ensure legal continuity. Overall, the Act aims to improve ease of doing business, strengthen maritime trade efficiency, and support India’s ambition to emerge as a major global maritime hub under the aegis of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways.
The act seeks to establish a clear and dedicated statutory framework for levying a special capacity-based excise cess to fund national security and public health priorities. The act proposes to impose a cess on the machinery installed or processes undertaken for the manufacture or production of specified goods, irrespective of whether the process is manual, mechanised, or hybrid. Initially, the cess applies to pan masala, with powers vested in the Central Government to extend its applicability to other goods through notification.
The cess is designed as a capacity-based levy, calculated monthly based on parameters such as the maximum rated speed of machines (pouches or containers per minute) and weight per pack, or a flat rate for manual processes. This approach aims to ensure predictable and stable revenue mobilisation, independent of production fluctuations. The proceeds of the cess are credited to the Consolidated Fund of India and earmarked for expenditure related to national security and public health.
The act lays down a comprehensive compliance and enforcement framework, including mandatory registration, self-declaration of machinery or process parameters, verification by authorities, monthly payment and returns, and provisions for abatement during prolonged non-operation. It also incorporates strong enforcement measures such as inspection, search, seizure, confiscation, penalties, and arrest, supported by a graded penalty structure.
A multi-tier appellate mechanism—from appellate authority to tribunal, High Court, and Supreme Court—ensures procedural fairness. Overall, the act represents a structured, rule-based fiscal instrument aligned with national priorities, combining revenue certainty with administrative accountability.
In a significant legislative milestone, Parliament passed two major maritime laws on a single day—the Merchant Shipping Bill, 2025 and the Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill, 2025—marking a first for the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. Together, the two Bills comprehensively modernise India’s maritime legal framework, replacing outdated colonial-era statutes and aligning domestic law with international standards.
The Merchant Shipping Bill, 2025 repeals the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958, which had become fragmented and inadequate for contemporary maritime challenges. Structured into 16 Parts and 325 clauses, the Bill aligns Indian law with key International Maritime Organization (IMO) conventions. It focuses on enhancing ship safety, seafarer welfare, emergency response, environmental protection, and promotion of Indian shipping tonnage, while reducing compliance burdens and improving regulatory coherence.
The Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill, 2025 replaces the Indian Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, 1925. It adopts the Hague–Visby Rules, a globally accepted standard governing carriage of goods by sea. The Bill simplifies legal processes, reduces litigation risks, improves commercial certainty, and strengthens ease of doing business in maritime trade.
Together, the two legislations signal a decisive shift towards a modern, globally compatible, and future-ready maritime governance regime for India.
The Coastal Shipping Act, 2025 amends the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 by replacing Part XIV with a modern legal framework governing coastal shipping, aligned with global cabotage norms. The act seeks to strengthen India’s domestic maritime transport system by simplifying licensing procedures and establishing clearer rules for the operation of foreign vessels in coastal trade, while safeguarding national interests.
A central objective of the act is to significantly expand coastal cargo movement, with a target of 230 million tonnes by 2030, thereby reducing overdependence on road and rail transport. By promoting coastal shipping, the legislation aims to cut foreign dependence, enhance supply-chain security, generate employment, and improve ease of doing business in the maritime sector.
Institutionally, the act mandates the preparation of a National Coastal and Inland Shipping Strategic Plan and the creation of a National Database. These measures are intended to support evidence-based infrastructure planning, improve transparency, and enhance investor confidence, positioning coastal shipping as a key pillar of India’s logistics and trade architecture.
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