India's Inland Waterways Infrastructure Expansion
India's inland waterways have experienced remarkable growth, with cargo movement increasing from 29 million metric tonnes (MMT) in 2014–15 to 218 MMT in 2025–26, representing a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 20.13%. This performance has already surpassed the Maritime India Vision 2030 target of 200 MMT. The country maintains 111 National Waterways with a total length of 20,187 km across 23 States and 4 Union Territories, of which 32 are currently operational.
Navigation Infrastructure Development
The Inland Waterways Authority of India conducts regular hydrographic surveys across National Waterways, including thalweg surveys to identify the deepest navigable channels. As of September 2026, regular surveys cover 22 National Waterways plus the Indian portion of the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol route, with frequency ranging from weekly to monthly depending on waterway requirements. These surveys determine the Critical Navigation Parameter of Least Available Depth (LAD), which directly influences vessel operations and navigation planning.
Navigation safety is supported by Aids to Navigation (AtoN) systems including lighted buoys, radar beacons, and lamp posts. National Waterway-3 (Kerala) exemplifies this infrastructure with 312 solar-powered Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic buoys and 17 beacon lamp posts supporting 24×7 navigation. A significant development is the establishment of India's first four riverine lighthouses on the Brahmaputra (National Waterway-2) at a cost of ₹74 crore. These 20-meter tall structures at Pandu, Bogibeel, Silghat, and Biswanath Ghat provide 14 nautical miles geographical range and 8-10 nautical miles luminous range, powered entirely by solar energy and equipped with weather-observation sensors. The complexes also feature museums, amphitheaters, cafeterias, and public spaces.
Digital Navigation Systems
Electronic Navigational Charts (ENCs) have been prepared for 18 operational and tidal waterways, available through portals like PANI (Portal for Asset and Navigation Information) and IWAI Vessel Tracker. These platforms provide real-time vessel tracking, navigation routes, depth information, and infrastructure details. The National River Traffic and Navigation System (Naudarshika), launched in 2025, incorporates real-time LAD information for integrated river traffic management. On National Waterway-1 (Ganga), River Information Services have been implemented across Haldia–Farakka, Farakka–Patna, and Patna–Varanasi stretches, featuring 4 control stations, 13 base stations, Automatic Identification System equipment, Very High Frequency communication, and meteorological sensors.
Economic Significance and Performance
The Brahmaputra waterway (NW-2), spanning 891 kilometers as India's longest navigable stretch, has shown substantial growth with cargo movement increasing from 0.90 MMT in FY 2024–25 to 1.29 MMT in FY 2025–26, supporting tea, coal, and fertilizer supply chains. Water transport offers significant cost advantages, with moving a tonne of freight by water costing roughly one-third of road transport and half of rail, while generating lower carbon emissions and easing pressure on highways.