India boosts container push with Rs10,000 cr CMAS,eyes 53,000+ jobs

The government has proposed a Rs10,000 crore Container Manufacturing Assistance Scheme (CMAS) to boost domestic container production, reduce import dependence and strengthen India’s trade and logistics network.Announced in the Union Budget 2026-27, the scheme will have an outlay of Rs10,000 crore over five years. It will support new Greenfield manufacturing facilities, expansion of existing Brownfield units, testing infrastructure, skilling and technology development,according to agency reports.The initiative aims to increase India’s annual container manufacturing capacity to around 7.5 lakh Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) and build a globally competitive container manufacturing ecosystem.
India currently imports nearly two million empty containers annually for domestic requirements and repositioning. The government said greater domestic production will help strengthen supply-chain resilience and reduce vulnerabilities arising from global disruptions and freight-rate volatility.
CMAS is also expected to generate more than 53,000 direct and indirect jobs and catalyse investment across ancillary industries, including corner castings, wooden frames and weathering steel.The scheme is part of the government’s broader efforts to strengthen maritime and multimodal logistics infrastructure under initiatives such as Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, PM Gati Shakti, the National Logistics Policy and the Sagarmala Programme.The government has also announced Rs70,000 crore Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Package to strengthen domestic shipbuilding capabilities and encourage investment in the maritime manufacturing sector.