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Opinion National Interest PoV 50-Word Edit

ThePrint On Camera Videos In Pictures

Society & Culture Around Town Book Excerpts Vigyapanti The Dating Story

More Judiciary Education YourTurn Work With Us Campus Voice

India’s east coast handles a higher volume. But the west coast has better economic outcome

The ability to bridge this gap will be crucial in determining whether India’s coastline serves as a mere boundary or acts as a catalyst of economic growth.

India’s economic geography is frequently characterised by familiar dichotomies, such as the north versus south or, increasingly, urban versus rural. These frameworks dominate policy discussions, budgetary priorities and political discourse. However, they also obscure a more significant imbalance: One that extends not across the land, but along the coast.

Spanning over 11,000 kilometres, India’s maritime boundary is not merely a physical boundary; it facilitates nearly 95 per cent of the nation’s trade by volume and approximately 68 per cent by value. In theory, such an extensive coastline should promote regional growth distribution. In practice, however, it has achieved the opposite. Economic dynamism in India remains concentrated along the western seaboard. Gujarat and Maharashtra lead in exports, industrial output, and private investment. The Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor has developed into a manufacturing growth backbone. Even when Bengaluru is considered, the broader western and southern axis continues to define India’s economic core.

The eastern coast, despite possessing comparable natural advantages, has not kept pace. This is a story of misaligned policy.

The illusion of balance

Upon initial examination, the data indicate an absence of significant issues. Cargo distribution appears to be evenly spread across coastal regions. In the fiscal year 2024-25, major ports processed 854.86 million tonnes, with consistent growth observed in key commodities such as petroleum (254.5 MMT), coal (150.1 MMT), and containers (193.5 MMT).

However, this aggregate data hides a critical distinction: The nature of the cargo being transported is........

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