BS Infrastructure Summit highlights: Average container dwell time improved to 3 days, says minister

BS Infrastructure Summit 2025 highlights: Stay tuned as Business Standard delivers live updates and expert commentary from the event

5:26 PM

We are going to become world's number 1 economy by 2047: Sonowal

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said “India will become world’s number one economy by 2047. Our target is very clear: by then, the cargo handling capacity of Indian ports will increase to 10,000 million metric tonnes. As a shipbuilding nation, we aim to be among the world’s top 10 by 2030 and top five by 2047." Read here for a detailed story.

5:03 PM

5 landmark maritime laws passed to align with global best practices, says Sarbananda Sonowal

Only one maritime law was enacted under the UPA, the NDA government has brought in 11 new legislations in the past decade. Recently, five landmark laws were passed to align India’s maritime framework with global best practices. The Indian Ports Bill 2025 now provides clear provisions for PPP and foreign investment, giving ports greater autonomy, Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal stated.

4:59 PM

India’s biggest port at Vadhavan to come up under Sagarmala: Sonowal

"Nearly 840 projects worth ₹5.8 trillion are being implemented under the Sagarmala Programme, of which 272 have been completed. The Greenfield port at Vadhavan in Maharashtra, with an investment of ₹76,000 crore, will become India’s largest port by capacity," Union minister Sonowal said.

4:31 PM

Harit Sagar guidelines, hydrogen plant drive India’s green port push, says Union minister

We have framed the Harit Sagar guidelines to promote green shipping, develop green hydrogen plants at major ports, enable bunkering of green fuel, and create green corridors — for example, between Dindal Port in Gujarat and VOC Port in Tamil Nadu. This presents a huge opportunity for the private sector, requiring investments of thousands of crores. We are also introducing electric trucks for port operations, with six to seven major ports floating tenders to charter green trucks, said Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

4:25 PM

India’s average container dwell time improved to 3 days: Sarbananda Sonowal

"Average container dwell time for India, as per World Bank's logistic Performance Index report, 2023 has improved to only three days, as compared to four days for countries like UAE, South Africa," said Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

4:20 PM

India’s maritime sector set for revival under PM’s vision, says Sonowal

The UPA government was short-sighted; it took the visionary leadership of our prime minister to revive India’s maritime sector and restore it to the glory it enjoyed 5,000 years ago as a leading maritime nation. Recently, our prime minister visited Tamil Nadu to commemorate 1,000 years of the legendary maritime expedition of Rajendra Chola, said Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

4:00 PM

Greenfield airports will give India a global aviation edge, says Noida Airport CEO Christoph Schnellmann

3:53 PM

Nearly 30,000 accidents occur simply because people do not wear helmets: Union minister Nitin Gadkari

3:45 PM

India’s future lies in electric mobility, says Mani Khurana

India’s future lies in electric mobility. Railways are getting fully electrified, metros are expanding, and short-distance electric trucking should be accelerated, though long-haul trucking is not yet global, says Mani Khurana, senior energy specialist, World Bank.

 

2:59 PM

Private sector, govt policy can drive energy democratisation: ReNew's Vaishali Nigam Sinha

"It’s good to see the private sector innovating in line with government policies. Innovation on the tariffs front will encourage efficient electricity use and lead to greater democratisation. Moving this from an institutional game to the individual level will also be important," said Vaishali Nigam Sinha, chief sustainability officer, ReNew.

2:54 PM

India has huge potential in energy storage, says IRENA Deputy DG Gauri Singh

"In India, we have huge potential for storage, which is only now beginning to be recognised. Technical studies are underway, and if harnessed, this could become a very affordable way of managing energy solutions. Other options — long duration, early response, quick response — will also emerge," said Gauri Singh, deputy director-general, International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

2:23 PM

My mission is to prioritise the use of hydrogen, says Nitin Gadkari

"My mission is to prioritise the use of hydrogen. This is my ambition. We are producing hydrogen from water through electrolysers and also from biomass. There is also work on producing hydrogen from petroleum. If municipal waste can be segregated into glass, metal, and plastic, the organic portion can go into biodigestion to generate hydrogen," said Union minister Nitin Gadkari.

 

2:13 PM

Not wearing helmets leads to 30,000 accidents annually, says Nitin Gadkari

"Nearly 30,000 accidents occur simply because people do not wear helmets. We passed the new road safety bill and increased fines, but the real problem lies in human behaviour," said Union minister Nitin Gadkari.

2:08 PM

India’s roads will rival US highways within 2 years, says Nitin Gadkari

"I always tell people in Uttar Pradesh that within two years, the state’s national highways will be equivalent to those in the US.  We will also transorm roads in Bihar. Some US citizens already say our roads are better than theirs," said Union minister Nitin Gadkari.

2:03 PM

Income from toll will rise to ₹1.4 trillion by 2027: Union minister Nitin Gadkari

Income from toll is ₹55,000 crore per year and we will increase it to ₹1.4 trillion in two years. Money is not the problem at all, says Union minister Nitin Gadkari.

1:59 PM

India’s logistics cost set for sharp reduction, says Nitin Gadkari

Our logistics cost is 16 per cent, China’s logistics cost is 8 per cent, and in European countries and the US it is 12 per cent. If it is reduced by 6 per cent, it comes down to 10 per cent. I am confident that by the end of this December, this cost will be in single digits at 9 per cent, said Union minister Nitin Gadkari.

1:53 PM

Without infrastructure, industry, investment, and jobs cannot grow, says Nitin Gadkari

"Without having good infrastructure, we cannot attract industry and capital investment. Without industry and capital investment, we cannot create employment potential. And without employment potential, we cannot eradicate poverty," said Union minister Nitin Gadkari.

1:40 PM

Coming up next: Fireside chat with Union minister Nitin Gadkari on India’s infrastructure, vision, policies

1:05 PM

New greenfield airports benefit from updated projections: Videh Kumar Jaipuriar

"At Delhi Airport, the current share of international-to-international traffic is 3–4 per cent. India is in a very unique situation, similar to many US airports, where domestic-to-international traffic has increased by 30 per cent. When you design an airport, it is based on a 10-year projection of traffic. The advantage for any greenfield airport being developed now is that the projection is based on recent traffic trends. For example, the traffic projection we received in 2016 for the last master plan reflected a very different scenario," said Videh Kumar Jaipuriar, CEO of Delhi international airport.

12:57 PM

Power sector needs ₹3 trillion in 5 years: Tata Power CEO Praveer Sinha

India’s power sector will require investments of over ₹3 trillion in the next five years, spanning generation, transmission, and distribution, Tata Power CEO and MD Praveer Sinha said on Wednesday at the Business Standard Infrastructure Summit. Here is the full story.

 

12:42 PM

Delhi airport on verge of becoming global gateway, says CEO Videh Kumar Jaipuriar

"For Delhi airport, about five years ago we still had around 20 per cent connecting traffic, mostly domestic-to-domestic. Over the last five years, we have improved both domestic-to-international and international-to-international connecting traffic. We are now at about 28–29 per cent, and I can say we are on the verge of being classified as a global hub and a global gateway," said Videh Kumar Jaipuriar, CEO of Delhi international airport.

12:31 PM

PPP must drive India's infrastructure funding: Experts at BS Infra Summit

Public-private partnership (PPP) should be the default model for India’s infrastructure development, as government resources alone cannot meet the scale of competing demands, experts said at the Business Standard Infrastructure Summit. Read here for a detailed story.

12:15 PM

Panel discussion on India’s Maritime Future: Setting New Sails

12:03 PM

India must do more to ease infrastructure bottlenecks: Praveer Sinha, CEO, Tata Power

"There is no need to pat our backs on anything, because there is much more we can do. Everywhere you go, there is a choke. We can do much better. We have constructed good airports and added ports, but it is still inadequate. Everywhere, whether in road, rail, or ship transport, there is congestion and waiting. There is a necessity to open up some of the channels that have been very restrictive," Praveer Sinha, CEO, Tata Power, said.

11:55 AM

India needs better transport, energy access: Praveer Sinha, CEO, Tata Power

"We need more airports, better transportation, and stronger railway infrastructure. We do not have bullet trains, and I see no reason why we cannot have them. We also lack adequate access to energy, and universal access remains one of our biggest challenges. Today, we are at 490 GW, with an aspiration of 500 GW of clean energy by 2030, We were very small in clean energy," said Praveer Sinha, CEO, Tata Power.

 

11:48 AM

India holds unique growth opportunity for 10–20 years, says Praveer Sinha

"I think India is a growing and aspirational country, and in any. area we look at, per capita consumption is among the lowest. Whether it is power, water, or any other sector, we have a unique opportunity at this point in time. For the next 10–20 years, we will continue to be the fastest growing and the largest in terms of GDP," says Praveer Sinha, CEO, Tata Power.

11:32 AM

India must leverage PPP to meet infrastructure needs: EY's Kuljit Singh

"There is immense scope for PPP in India because the country is resource-constrained. With competing demands such as free clean water, subsidised housing, and other essential services, governments simply do not have enough funds. By default, whenever there is an opportunity to bring in private investment to finance projects that would otherwise rely on government CapEx, India should always pursue that path without fail," says Kuljit Singh, partner at EY.

11:23 AM

By the time big ideas hit the ground, they fizzle out: Infravision CEO Jagan Shah

"Across the entire territory, the urban infrastructure projects are small. They're also entirely subservient to how the state and the urban local body actually functions financially, and therefore you're not able to attack the kind of PPP that you want to the urban projects. I believe we're always ahead of the curve in terms of really smart ideas coming in from the top. But by the time they hit the ground, they fizzle out," says Infravision CEO Jagan Shah.

 

11:15 AM

Planning is core to infrastructure development: RITES CMD Rahul Mithal

"Among the three key elements of infrastructur, planning remains the most critical. Detailed Project Reports (DPR) requires concentrated focus and that agencies preparing DPRs should be selected strictly through the QCBS (Quality and Cost-Based Selection) method," say Rahul Mithal, chairman and managing director of RITES.

11:11 AM

Debt has not been a major issue for India: EY's Kuljit Singh

"The challenge lies in the terms of securing debt. The most favourable terms are usually reserved for hybrid annuity projects, while emerging sectors such as EV infrastructure often face less favourable conditions. Funding is still available for these sectors, but not on par with highways. Overall, debt has not been a major issue for India," says Kuljit Singh, Partner at EY.