Waterborne freight transport resumes in Assam after 10 years
The Kopili River, India's National Waterway 57, was operationalised on Saturday (August 2, 2025) with the first-ever cargo trial run, marking the resumption of intrastate waterborne freight transport in Assam after more than a decade.
Equipped with self-loading capacity, cargo vessel MV V.V. Giri carried 300 metric tonnes of cement from a factory in central Assam along the 300-km route on the Kopili and the Brahmaputra River (National Waterway 2), with a voyage time of 12 to 14 hours. Destined for Hatsingimari in western Assam's South Salmara-Mankachar district, the vessel was flagged off from Chandrapur, about 30 kilometres east of Guwahati.
'This is a watershed moment for inland water transport in Assam and elsewhere in the northeast. With NW57, we have not only revived a lost artery of trade within the state, but also taken a major step towards building an inland water transport system that is economical, efficient, and environmentally sustainable,' Sarbananda Sonowal, the Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, said.
'The Kopili cargo movement is a symbol of the new Assam – connected, empowered, and aligned with India's growth story,' he said, adding that reviving the waterways drives Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a thriving northeast.
Mr Sonowal said the 1,168 km of operational waterways in Assam spans the Barak (NW16) and Dhansiri (NW31) rivers, apart from the Brahmaputra and Kopili, whose navigable stretch is 46 km long.
'Promotion of inland water transport will not only decongest our roads but also bring economies of scale for the riverine communities in Assam to prosper and secure opportunities,' he said.
Saturday's trial run replaced 23 truckloads of cement.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
39 minutes ago
- Time of India
Ajni-Pune Sleeper Vande Bharat Likely to Launch Soon
Nagpur: The highly anticipated Ajni-Pune sleeper Vande Bharat train is likely to become a reality soon, with its launch expected later this month. This train is likely to be flagged off alongside two more Vande Bharat trains, connecting Belgaum-Bengaluru and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra-Amritsar, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in August. The decision to introduce the Ajni-Pune Vande Bharat comes as a boon for travellers, especially with the festive season approaching, when demand surges on this route. The train is expected to alleviate the pressure on existing transport options, as buses and flights often see skyrocketing fares, while trains are overcrowded during this period. Sources indicate that once redevelopment work at Nagpur station is complete, the train may originate from there instead of Ajni. The Ajni-Pune Vande Bharat is planned to cover key stations, including Wardha, Badnera, Akola, Bhusawal, Jalgaon, Manmad, and Daund, before reaching Pune. This route promises to offer a faster, more comfortable travel option for passengers travelling between these bustling cities. The addition of the Belgaum-Bengaluru and Katra-Amritsar Vande Bharat trains further underscores the govt's push to expand the high-speed, semi-luxury train network across India. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 11 Foods That Help In Healing Knee Pain Naturally Undo These trains are designed to enhance connectivity, reduce travel time, and provide modern amenities, making them a preferred choice for passengers. The introduction of these trains is expected to bring relief to commuters and boost regional connectivity, particularly during peak travel seasons. With the festive rush around the corner, the Ajni-Pune Vande Bharat is set to become a game-changer for travellers seeking affordable and efficient travel options.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
'Trump is speaking nonsense against India & Modi is silently listening': Congress slams govt over US' latest tariff threat
Congress on Monday criticised the central government over U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement of slapping more tariffs on India. "Trump is speaking nonsense against India every day, and Narendra Modi is silently listening to everything," said the grand old party in a post on social media platform X. "Why is Modi so afraid of Trump?," the party asked in its post. Productivity Tool Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide By Metla Sudha Sekhar View Program Finance Introduction to Technical Analysis & Candlestick Theory By Dinesh Nagpal View Program Finance Financial Literacy i e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By CA Rahul Gupta View Program Digital Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Neil Patel By Neil Patel View Program Finance Technical Analysis Demystified- A Complete Guide to Trading By Kunal Patel View Program Productivity Tool Excel Essentials to Expert: Your Complete Guide By Study at home View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals Batch 2 By Ansh Mehra View Program Congress' Secretary in-charge of Communications, Jairam Ramesh echoing a similar sentiment, said, "So much for Howdy Modi. So much for Namaste Trump. So much for Ab ki Baar Trump Sarkar. So much for BJP MPs hailing Narendra Modi as India's trumpcard." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Unforgettable Bollywood 2025 moments across the web Learn More Undo — INCIndia (@INCIndia) "Despite all the hugs, all the handshakes, all the high-decibel bromance — 'My friend Dolaand' has delivered yet another jolt. What has come of the much-vaunted front-row seat for our EAM at his inauguration? Or for the PM being one of the first to land at the White House?" "Tariffs are being slapped. Negotiations are going nowhere. But Asim Munir, the man whose invective was the backdrop for the Pahalgam terror attacks, gets lunch at the White House." Live Events This is what happens when foreign policy becomes about image-building, not national interest, he said. ALSO READ: US to 'substantially' raise tariff on India, says Trump, accuses New Delhi of profiting from selling Russian oil Trump's latest threat In a fresh trade threat against India, Trump on Monday said he will "substantially" raise US tariffs on New Delhi, accusing it of buying massive amounts of Russian oil and selling it for big profits. Last week, the Trump administration slapped a 25 per cent duty on all Indian goods. The US president also announced a penalty for buying "vast majority" of Russian military equipment and crude oil, but no mention was made in the notification. "India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian Oil, they are then, for much of the Oil purchased, selling it on the Open Market for big profits," Trump said in a social media post on Monday. "They don't care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine. Because of this, I will be substantially raising the Tariff paid by India to the USA," he added. In its reaction, India said it will take all necessary steps to safeguard and promote national interest and that the implications of the tariffs are being examined. India's import of crude oil from Russia has risen from 0.2 per cent of total purchases before the Russia-Ukraine war to 35-40 per cent. New Delhi is the largest buyer of Russian oil after China. On August 1, Trump signed an Executive Order titled 'Further Modifying The Reciprocal Tariff Rates', raising tariffs for over five dozen countries, including a steep 25 per cent for India. The executive order, however, did not mention the 'penalty' that Trump had said India will have to pay because of its purchases of Russian military equipment and energy. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, in an interview to Fox News Sunday, stated that President Trump has said very clearly that 'it is not acceptable for India to continue financing" the Ukraine war by purchasing oil from Russia. Last week, Trump mounted a sharp attack on India and Russia for their close ties and said the two countries can take their "dead economies down together", a remark which prompted New Delhi to say that India is the world's fastest-growing major economy. Declaring that the US has a massive trade deficit with India, Trump had said that while 'India is our friend, we have, over the years, done relatively little business with them because their tariffs are far too high, among the highest in the world, and they have the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary Trade Barriers of any country. "Also, they have always bought a vast majority of their military equipment from Russia, and are Russia's largest buyer of energy, along with China, at a time when everyone wants Russia to stop the killing in Ukraine — All things not good!' Trump had said. These announcements are being seen as a pressure tactic to get New Delhi to agree to demands made by the US in the proposed trade agreement with India. The US is seeking duty concessions for its agriculture, dairy and genetically modified (GM) foods. India is against giving any concessions in these sectors as they involve the livelihood of millions of small and marginalised farmers. New Delhi has said that it is studying the implications of these tariffs and is still hopeful of concluding a fair, balanced and mutually beneficial trade agreement. So far five rounds of negotiations have been held between the two countries. For the next round of talks, the US team is coming to India on August 25. The talks will go on till August 29. India historically bought most of its oil from the Middle East, including Iraq and Saudi Arabia. However, things changed when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. India, the world's third-largest crude importer after China and the US, began snapping up Russian oil that was available at a discount after some in the West shunned it as a means to punish Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine. From a market share of just 0.2 per cent in India's import basket before the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Russia overtook Iraq and Saudi Arabia to become India's No.1 supplier, with a share as high as 40 per cent at one point of time. In July, Russia supplied 36 per cent of all crude oil, which is converted into fuels like petrol and diesel, that India imported. India-US Trade ties During 2021-25, the US was India's largest trading partner. The US accounts for about 18 per cent of India's total goods exports, 6.22 per cent in imports, and 10.73 per cent in bilateral trade. With America, India had a trade surplus (the difference between imports and exports) of USD 35.32 billion in goods in 2023-24. It was USD 41 billion in 2024-25 and USD 27.7 billion in 2022-23. In 2024-25, bilateral trade between India and the US reached USD 186 billion. India exported USD 86.5 billion in goods while importing USD 45.3 billion. In services, India exported an estimated USD 28.7 billion and imported USD 25.5 billion, adding a USD 3.2 billion surplus. Altogether, India ran a total trade surplus of about USD 44.4 billion with the US. In 2024, India's main exports to the US included drug formulations and biologicals (USD 8.1 billion), telecom instruments (USD 6.5 billion), precious and semi-precious stones (USD 5.3 billion), petroleum products (USD 4.1 billion), vehicle and auto components (USD 2.8 billion), gold and other precious metal jewellery (USD 3.2 billion), ready-made garments of cotton, including accessories (USD 2.8 billion), and products of iron and steel (USD 2.7 billion). Imports included crude oil (USD 4.5 billion), petroleum products (USD 3.6 billion), coal, coke (USD 3.4 billion), cut and polished diamonds (USD 2.6 billion), electric machinery (USD 1.4 billion), aircraft, spacecraft and parts (USD 1.3 billion), and gold (USD 1.3 billion).
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
'Why is Modi afraid': Congress takes shot at PM over Donald Trump's latest threat; pans Centre's foreign policy
NEW DELHI: The Congress on Monday launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying "Why is Modi afraid" following US President Donald Trump's remarks threatening increased tariffs on India over its continued oil trade with Russia. The party questioned PM Modi's silence, alleging that foreign policy under the BJP government had become more about optics than national interest. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh in a post on X said, 'So much for Howdy Modi. So much for Namaste Trump. So much for Ab ki Baar Trump Sarkar. So much for BJP MPs hailing Narendra Modi as India's trumpcard.' Jairam Ramesh added, 'Despite all the hugs, all the handshakes, all the high-decibel bromance — 'My friend Dolaand' has delivered yet another jolt.' He questioned what came of the 'much-vaunted' front-row seat at Trump's inauguration or the prime minister being one of the first world leaders to visit the White House. 'Tariffs are being slapped. Negotiations are going nowhere,' he said, also referring to Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir's recent White House visit. 'This is what happens when foreign policy becomes about image-building, not national interest,' Ramesh wrote. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like New Container Houses Guatemala (Prices May Surprise You) Container House | Search ads Search Now Undo Meanwhile, in a separate post on X, the Congress party directly questioned the Prime Minister, saying, 'Now Narendra Modi's friend Trump has openly threatened India. Trump has said that he will impose even more tariffs on India.' 'Trump claims India is buying large quantities of oil from Russia and making huge profits by selling it. India doesn't care about those being killed in Ukraine. Trump is speaking out against India every day, and Narendra Modi is quietly listening to it all. Why is Modi so afraid of Trump?' the post read. The political row comes after Donald Trump, in a Truth Social post, said India was profiting from the war in Ukraine and warned of a substantial tariff hike. 'India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian oil, they are then, for much of the oil purchased, selling it on the open market for big profits. They don't care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian war machine. Because of this, I will be substantially raising the tariff paid by India to the USA,' Trump wrote. The statement follows earlier warnings from Trump about a 25 per cent tariff on India for its energy and defence transactions with Russia. White House deputy chief of Staff Stephen Miller echoed the sentiment in a Fox News interview, accusing India of being 'basically tied with China' in oil imports from Russia. 'People would be shocked... This is astonishing,' Miller said, alleging India also imposed high tariffs on US goods and had violated immigration norms. Last week, Trump criticised India's trade policies, calling its barriers 'the most strenuous and obnoxious' globally. He also remarked that India and Russia could 'take their dead economies down together, for all I care.' While Trump later claimed India may have halted Russian oil imports, he added, 'That's what I heard... but I don't know if that's right or not.' India has not confirmed any change in its oil trade with Russia. On Friday, external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said energy decisions were based on market pricing and global conditions. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal told Parliament that India will act to protect its national interest.
