The Maritime State Development Council, newly empowered by the Indian Ports Act of 2025, convened its first meeting in Mumbai on 15 May 2026. Chaired by Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, the council brought together coastal state ministers, port administrators and central officials, signalling a shift towards cooperative federalism in maritime governance.
During the session, the council resolved that all ports will adopt the One Nation One Port Process and integrate with the Maritime Single Window—Sagar Setu—by March 2027, while mandating electronic publication of port tariffs to boost transparency.
Sonowal also launched a comprehensive "Ready Reckoner for Implementing ONOP," a guide to standardise procedures across major and non‑major ports, and introduced two new credit‑risk insurance products under the Shipbuilding Development Scheme to ease financing for shipyards.
The council endorsed the Maritime India Vision 2030 and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, flagging over 500 initiatives that include Sagarmala connectivity projects, the National Coastal and Inland Shipping Strategic Plan, and a push for modal shift to coastal shipping, shipbuilding clusters, and cruise infrastructure.