India Aims to Triple Waterway Freight Share to 5% by 2030

India currently moves only about 2% of its freight through inland waterways, a figure the central government is targeting to raise to 5% by 2030. The government is banking on two key initiatives — PM Gati Shakti and the Jalvahak scheme — to drive this shift. PM Gati Shakti focuses on integrated multimodal infrastructure planning, while Jalvahak is designed to incentivize cargo movement via inland waterways. Together, these schemes aim to address last-mile logistics challenges and reduce the burden on road and rail networks. Expanding waterway freight capacity could also lower logistics costs and improve supply chain efficiency across the country.