Kandla, Mundra among four ports notified as mega ports by Centre

New Delhi: Two ports located in Gujarat, namely, Deendayal Port (Kandla) and Mundra Port, have been notified as Mega Ports by the Central Government under the Indian Ports Act, 2025, along with Jawaharlal Nehru Port (Nhava Sheva) and Paradip Port.

According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways on September 25, the four ports meet the criteria prescribed by the Centre for classification as mega ports under Section 73 of the Indian Ports Act, 2025.

The classification highlights the scale and strategic importance of the four ports in India’s maritime and logistics network. The ports serve major cargo-generating regions and provide connectivity to domestic and international trade routes.

Deendayal Port, located on Gujarat’s western coast, is a key gateway for cargo movement in Gujarat and northern and western India. Mundra Port has developed into a major commercial port with extensive cargo-handling and multimodal logistics capabilities.

On the western coast, Jawaharlal Nehru Port is a major container gateway serving the Mumbai region and its hinterland, while Paradip Port on the eastern coast handles significant volumes of bulk and industrial cargo and serves the eastern and central Indian hinterland.

The Mega Port classification comes as India continues to expand maritime infrastructure, modernise port operations and strengthen connectivity between ports, industrial centres and consumption markets. The framework is aimed at supporting the development of high-capacity and efficient ports to meet the requirements of the country’s growing trade and economy.

DeshGujarat