Improving India's Inland Waterways and Navigation Systems

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Key takeaways

India has 111 National Waterways spanning 20,187 km, with 32 currently operational.
Cargo movement saw a massive jump to 218 MMT in 2025-26, reflecting a CAGR of 20.13%.
The government is building 4 riverine lighthouses on the Brahmaputra River under a ₹74-crore project.
New digital tools like the PANI Portal and Naudarshika (launched in 2025) provide real-time navigation and depth data.
Water transport is highly cost-effective, costing only about one-third of road transport.

India is pushing hard to develop inland waterways as a cheaper and greener way to move goods. This move aims to build better multimodal connectivity and reduce the heavy load on roads and railways.

India has a total of 111 National Waterways covering 20,187 km across 23 States and 4 Union Territories. Currently, 32 of these are operational.
Cargo movement on these waterways grew rapidly from 29 million metric tonnes (MMT) in 2014-15 to 218 MMT in 2025-26. This shows a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 20.13%.
This growth has already beaten the 200 MMT goal set by the Maritime India Vision 2030.
Using water for transport is much cheaper: it costs about one-third of road transport and half of rail transport. It also produces fewer carbon emissions.
The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) is the main body. It handles infrastructure, surveys the water, and maintains the channels.

Hydrography is the science of measuring water bodies. It looks at the river-bed structure, water depth, and flow direction to help ships navigate safely and protect the environment.
The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) carries out these surveys to plan infrastructure and ensure safe dredging.
Thalweg Surveys are used to find and track the deepest part of the river where ships can sail.
Terminal and Jetty Surveys check the water depth near loading and unloading points.
Dredging is the process of removing sand and mud from the river bed to keep the water deep enough for ships.
By September 2026, regular thalweg surveys were active on 22 National Waterways and the Indian part of the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route. These happen weekly, fortnightly, or monthly.
The Least Available Depth (LAD) is the minimum depth in a channel. This number is crucial because it decides how much cargo a ship can carry and when it can sail.

Aids to Navigation (AtoN) are external tools like markers or signals that guide ships and warn them of hazards. These are governed by the Marine Aids to Navigation Act, 2021.
Buoys are floating markers that show the safe path and point out dangers.
Radar Beacons (Racon) help ships find markers even when the weather is bad or visibility is low.
Other tools include lighthouses, lightships, and beacon lamps.
The Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL) manages these aids along the coast and provides national training for these services.
India follows global rules by signing the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and following International Organization for Marine Aids to Navigation (IALA) guidelines.
For inland waters, the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) manages the AtoN systems.
On National Waterway-3 in Kerala, the government has installed 312 solar-powered FRP buoys and 17 beacon lamp posts. This allows ships to move 24x7.

In March 2026, India started building its first four riverine lighthouses on the Brahmaputra River (National Waterway-2) to allow ships to move day and night.
These lighthouses are located at Pandu, Bogibeel, Silghat and Biswanath Ghat in Assam, costing ₹74 crore.
Each tower is 20 metres high. They can be seen from 14 nautical miles away, with a light range of 8-10 nautical miles.
They use solar power and have weather sensors to keep navigation sustainable and safe.
These sites also offer tourism facilities like museums, cafeterias, and parks for children.
National Waterway-2 (NW-2) runs for 891 km from Dhubri to Sadiya in Assam along the Brahmaputra.
Cargo on NW-2 rose from 0.90 MMT in FY 2024-25 to 1.29 MMT in FY 2025-26.

Digital systems combine data on river depth, weather, and ship traffic to make transport safer and faster.
Electronic Navigational Charts (ENCs) provide live updates to captains. By September 2026, these were ready for 18 waterways, a huge jump from only National Waterway-1 before 2014.
The PANI Portal (Portal for Asset and Navigation Information) gives details on jetties, fairways, and emergency services.
When used with the IWAI Vessel Tracker, it allows real-time tracking of ships and depth updates via apps.
The Naudarshika system, launched in 2025, helps manage river traffic by giving live Least Available Depth (LAD) info.
River Information Services (RIS) use sensors and communication tools to link ships with control centres.
On NW-1 (Ganga), the RIS covers three areas: Haldia-Farakka, Farakka-Patna and Patna-Varanasi. It uses 4 control stations and 13 base stations.
This system uses Automatic Identification System (AIS) and VHF communication. 30 government ships already have these consoles installed.

India's inland waterways are becoming a modern, green, and cheap transport network. By using digital tools and better surveys, India will improve its logistics and make 24-hour navigation safe.