A Ride through the Inland Waterways of India

• India has 111 National Waterways (NWs) spanning 20,187 km across 23 States and 4 UTs; only 32 are operational as of FY 2024-25.
• Inland Water Transport (IWT) is a cost-effective, low-emission, fuel-efficient mode complementing road and rail; governed by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) through the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI).
• Cross-cutting UPSC relevance: infrastructure, logistics cost, modal-mix reform (PM Gati Shakti), federal scope (Union List Entry 24), environment, and North-East/coastal connectivity.