Cabinet approves Rs 10,000 crore scheme to build shipping containers in India

On 28 October 2026 the Union Cabinet approved a Rs 10,000 crore Container Manufacturing Promotion Scheme (CMPS) under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. The aim is to raise India's annual container manufacturing capacity from about 70,000 TEU to 7.5 lakh TEU, roughly ten times today's level.

What the scheme offers

Component

Outlay

What it does

Interest subsidy

Rs 859 crore

3% a year on eligible term loans for new plants and expansions

Operating support

Rs 8,891 crore

Per-container support for compliant containers sold. Domestic content must rise from 70% to 90%

Testing and certification

Rs 150 crore

Shared test facilities so makers rely less on testing abroad

Scheme management

Rs 100 crore

Administration

The scheme runs from FY 2027-28 to FY 2039-40: 3 years to set up units, then 10 years of production support. Major ports will lease land for container plants at 25% of the notified rate.

Why it matters for exporters

Almost all containers used for India's trade are built abroad. When boxes are short, as during the Red Sea and West Asia disruptions, exporters face equipment shortages and higher freight. A domestic supply of containers should, over time, make box availability less dependent on imports. The government projects container traffic growing from about 2.4 crore TEU in 2024 to 17.5 crore TEU by 2047.

What to watch

• The scheme guidelines, which an inter-ministerial steering committee chaired by the Ports Secretary will approve.
• Support only begins in FY 2027-28, so it will not ease container availability this season.

Sources

• PIB: Cabinet approves Container Manufacturing Promotion Scheme (28 Oct 2026)

Last checked: 29 October 2026.

Drafted with AI help from public sources.