“River Routes, Faster Trade – Powering the Northeast’s Economic Rise.”

Inland Waterways Expansion to Transform Northeast Cargo Movement, Says Sonowal

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal announced that India’s ambitious efforts to strengthen inland waterways—particularly across the Brahmaputra and Barak river systems—are enhancing cargo movement, reducing logistics costs, and improving energy transport in the Northeast. Speaking at the North East Oil & Gas Conclave 2025, he highlighted that terminals such as Pandu, Jogighopa, Dhubri, Karimganj, Bogibeel, and Badarpur have become vital hubs for petroleum exports and cross-border trade with Bangladesh. Annual cargo volume on National Waterway-2 is approaching 6 lakh tonnes, supported by dredging and fairway maintenance that facilitate year-round navigation. The government has launched inland waterway projects worth ₹21,000 crore, including cargo terminals, ship repair facilities, tourism infrastructure, and a ₹188-crore Centre of Excellence in Dibrugarh to train 5,000 logistics professionals. With 76 waterways set to become operational by 2027, Sonowal emphasised that inland waterways are crucial to India’s Act East Policy and future-ready logistics network.