Paradip: The only mega port on India’s east coast
India notified its first four 'mega ports' under the Indian Ports Act 2025: Mundra, Deendayal (Kandla), Jawaharlal Nehru Port and Paradip, based on cargo-handling thresholds, with the classification effective from September 25.
Paradip Port is the only mega port among the four newly notified facilities located on India’s east coast.
The other three, Mundra, Deendayal (Kandla) and Jawaharlal Nehru Port, are on the west coast.
The classification was notified on September 25, 2026, under the Indian Ports Act, 2025.
It is based on cargo-handling thresholds of 150 million tonnes or 7.5 million TEUs.
The classification is valid for five years.
The notification was issued on September 25, 2026, and took effect from its publication in the Gazette of India.
The five-year classification is based on annual cargo-handling thresholds of 150 million tonnes for bulk ports or 7.5 million TEUs for container ports.
Mundra Port, operated by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone, is the only privately owned facility among the four.
The other three mega ports are government-run facilities.
Paradip Port is the only mega port on India’s east coast among the four notified.
This is the first time India has introduced a mega port classification, following the enactment of the Indian Ports Act, 2025.
Jawaharlal Nehru Port, located at Nhava Sheva near Mumbai, is one of India’s busiest container ports.
Deendayal Port, formerly known as Kandla Port, is located in Gujarat.
The mega port classification is expected to be reviewed periodically based on cargo-handling performance.
India’s port sector has seen significant private and public investment in recent years as trade volumes have grown.
The Indian Ports Act, 2025, replaced an older colonial-era law governing port administration in the country.
Cargo-handling capacity at major Indian ports has expanded steadily over the past decade.
Container throughput and bulk cargo volumes are commonly used indicators of a port’s scale and economic significance.
India’s coastline spans both the western Arabian Sea coast and the eastern Bay of Bengal coast, served by different major ports.
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways is the central government body responsible for port sector policy and regulation.
Mundra Port, Gujarat (representative image), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Reporting for Hindustan Hunt on news and stories from across India.
