Freight Forward: India’s New ₹10k Cr Container Scheme

The Union Budget 2026 has announced a ₹10,000 crore scheme to support container manufacturing in India.

To be implemented over five years, the scheme aims to build a strong and competitive domestic container manufacturing ecosystem. The government has set a target of creating an annual manufacturing capacity of one million containers over the next decade. The initiative is expected to generate a market opportunity worth around ₹80,000 crore, create 3,000 direct jobs, and support nearly 50,000 indirect jobs across logistics, transport, and allied industries.

At present, containers manufactured in India are 30–40 per cent more expensive than those produced in China, largely due to higher raw material costs and limited manufacturing capacity. Highlighting this challenge, Hasmukh Viradiya, Chairman and Managing Director of APPL Containers, said, “If the government provides a subsidy to neutralise this cost difference, the issue can be addressed.” He added that Chinese containers are cheaper by approximately USD 700–800 per unit.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.