A joint FICCI-Kearney report released on 3 November 2026 finds that India's port cargo handling grew 38% between FY18 and FY26, with capacity up 22% to 2.8 billion tonnes and vessel turnaround down 18% to about 49 hours. However, at four core seaports, export approval takes about 30 hours while the interval between approval and vessel departure stretches to about 158 hours—84% of total measured time. About 75% of India's transshipment containers are still handled at overseas ports, and only 84 of 294 identified port-hinterland connectivity projects were completed by July 2026.
FICCI-Kearney Report: India's Ports Grow 38% in Cargo, But 84% of Export Time Is Lost After Customs Clearance
A joint FICCI-Kearney report released on 3 November 2026 finds that India's port cargo handling grew 38% between FY18 and FY26, with capacity up 22% to 2.8 billion tonnes and vessel turnaround down 18% to about 49 hours. However, at four core seaports, export approval takes about 30 hours while the interval between approval and vessel departure stretches to about 158 hours—84% of total measured time. About 75% of India's transshipment containers are still handled at overseas ports, and only 84 of 294 identified port-hinterland connectivity projects were completed by July 2026.
