India is taking a major step to boost its trade infrastructure by focusing on building containers rather than just ships and ports. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s 2026 budget includes a ₹10,000 crore ($1.2 billion), five-year scheme to develop a domestic container manufacturing ecosystem.
Bridging the Production Gap
Currently, India produces about 30,000 containers annually, while China’s capacity exceeds 5 million units. Officials aim for domestic production to meet the needs of the Bharat Container Shipping Line and, eventually, create containers that can be exported.
Competing with Regional Players
Countries like Vietnam and Bangladesh are already trying to capture market share from China by offering lower costs and proximity to major shipping hubs.
China’s Dominance in Containers
Chinese manufacturers currently produce over 95% of the world’s dry cargo containers and nearly 100% of refrigerated containers, underscoring the scale of the challenge India faces in entering this market.
