The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has entered a new phase of inland waterways development in Uttar Pradesh through a series of major agreements signed during India Maritime Week 2025 (IMW). MoUs worth more than ₹6,000 crore were finalised to strengthen and expand the inland waterways network along the Ganga (National Waterway-1).
These agreements are designed to enhance river cruise tourism, ship repair capacity, multimodal logistics, and clean-energy transport. IWAI announced an investment push of ₹1,350 crore to accelerate river transport and cruise infrastructure in the state, reflecting its growing role in India’s waterways strategy.
As part of the nationwide signing of 25 MoUs for inland waterways development, Uttar Pradesh secured several key commitments focused on Varanasi and the Ganga corridor. IWAI signed major agreements with Heritage River Journeys Pvt. Ltd. to develop new cruise vessels and expand river cruise tourism across national waterways. Another MoU with Alaknanda Cruises aims to boost premium cruise operations and heritage tourism circuits along NW-1. These initiatives carry a combined value exceeding ₹800 crore.
Positioning Uttar Pradesh as a potential regional maritime services hub, IWAI formalised an MoU with the state government for a new ship repair facility in Varanasi with an investment of ₹350 crore. Two modern river cruise terminals will also be developed in Varanasi with an investment of ₹200 crore, significantly enhancing passenger capacity and comfort in one of India’s most active river cruise destinations.
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The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said the agreements highlight India’s resolve to modernise its river systems and strengthen the inland waterways ecosystem. He described the MoUs as a major step toward transforming inland waterways into engines of economic growth, tourism expansion, and regional integration.
Aligned with the National Green Shipping Mission, Uttar Pradesh has also approved a project for electric vessel charging infrastructure. An MoU of ₹100 crore will facilitate the rollout of electric charging stations to support clean and low-emission river mobility.
Sonowal added that recent policy reforms under the central government have driven unprecedented momentum in the inland waterways sector since 2014, and these new partnerships reflect India’s vision of building world-class, technology-driven, sustainable waterway infrastructure as part of its maritime ambitions for 2047.
A ₹200 crore initiative will establish a Regional Centre of Excellence (RCoE) in Varanasi to promote research, training and innovation in inland water transport, vessel technology and green mobility. Additionally, an MoU worth ₹1,000 crore with Rhenus Logistics will enable the induction of modern tug-barges on the Ganga (NW-1) and Brahmaputra (NW-2), boosting cargo-handling capacity and strengthening multimodal transport efficiency.
Sonowal said these initiatives reflect the broader vision of “Transformation through Transportation” as India advances toward becoming a developed nation, highlighting the role of river-based mobility in strengthening the logistics ecosystem and unlocking new opportunities in trade and tourism.
A further ₹1,500 crore has been allocated through an MoU between IWAI and NTCPWC of IIT Madras for dredging works supervision on NW-1. To accelerate PM Gati Shakti objectives, IWAI and IPRCL signed another MoU worth ₹1,500 crore for rail connectivity to the multimodal terminals in Varanasi, Sahibganj and Haldia.
Minister of State for MoPSW Shantanu Thakur said the agreements will significantly strengthen the state’s ship repair capacity, electric vessel infrastructure, and training ecosystem. He emphasised that the initiatives are transforming long-standing concepts into operational realities and positioning the Ganga as a vibrant corridor of economic and tourism activity.
Secretary MoPSW Vijay Kumar noted that the collective agreements reinforce India’s vision of a modern, resilient maritime economy anchored in sustainability and innovation. IWAI Chairman (I/C) Sunil Kumar Singh added that the MoUs will accelerate the growth of inland water transport in Uttar Pradesh, enhancing river logistics and expanding cruise tourism capacity.
With expanded operations along NW-1, Uttar Pradesh is poised to play a central role in India’s multimodal logistics and river tourism framework, complementing national initiatives such as Sagarmala, Maritime India Vision 2030 (MIV2030) and the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 (MAKV2047).
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