Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced on February 1, 2026, that India will operationalize 20 new national waterways over the next five years. The announcement was part of her ninth Budget presentation, which is the first ever held on a Sunday. To boost coastal and inland shipping, a new coastal cargo scheme was introduced. Ms. Sitharaman said, "A ship repair ecosystem catering to inland waterways will be set up at Varanasi and Patna." She also revealed plans for a new dedicated freight corridor from "Dankuni in East to Surat in West to promote environmentally sustainable movement of cargo." Additionally, regional training institutes will be created as centers of excellence to support the waterways sector.