The Sagarmala Programme is a flagship scheme of the Government of India, launched in 2015, to promote port-led development in the country. The concept was approved by the Union Cabinet on March 25, 2015, with the vision of reducing logistics costs for both domestic and EXIM cargo. The project was created to address the problem of high logistics costs and inefficient infrastructure by harnessing India's 7,517 km long coastline and 14,500 km of potentially navigable waterways.
The mechanism of the Sagarmala Programme is structured around five key pillars: Port Modernization and new port development, Port Connectivity Enhancement, Port-led Industrialization, Coastal Community Development, and Coastal Shipping and Inland Water Transport (IWT). The scheme aims to integrate the development of ports with industrial clusters and the hinterland through an efficient evacuation system using road, rail, and water. The implementing body is the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), which oversees the program.
A related institution is the Sagarmala Development Company Limited (SDCL), which was established on August 31, 2016, under the MoPSW. The SDCL underwent a significant change in 2025, rebranding as the Sagarmala Finance Corporation Limited (SMFCL), which is India's first Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) dedicated to the maritime sector. The Sagarmala Programme is also closely connected to other national initiatives like the National Logistics Policy (2022), Maritime India Vision 2030, and the PM Gati Shakti Master Plan. The program has been furthered by the introduction of Sagarmala 2.0, which aims to position India as a global maritime hub and is supported by a proposed budgetary allocation of ₹85,482 crore.