Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday tabled the Economic Survey 2025-26 in the Lok Sabha. Dubbed as India's annual report card of economic performance in the financial year, the survey noted the country's growth momentum is set to be powered by a coordinated infrastructure push across roads, railways, aviation, ports, and inland waterways.
The survey is tabled ahead of the Union Budget on Feb 1 and presents a backdrop for the policy actions to be taken in the next financial year setting the broad macroeconomic and policy priorities for the government at a time when the global economy is facing heightened geopolitical uncertainty and fragmentation.
Roadways
A 26,000 km High-Speed Corridor (HSC) network is targeted by FY33, with 9,366 km already under implementation. The first Public Infrastructure Investment Trust (InvIT) is slated for 2026, following Rs 1.52 lakh crore already monetised via Terms of Trade (ToT) and private InvITs. A Public-Private Partnership (PPP) pipeline of 13,400 km which is valued at Rs 8.3 lakh crore and has been identified for the next three years.
Fixed-cost bidding and performance ratings are being built into project preparation, alongside stricter eligibility norms, additional performance security for low bids, and contractor ratings in construction.
Digital Initiatives: Technology mandates include drone surveys for alignment planning, AIMC deployment, pre-cast components for projects above Rs 300 crore, a Drone Analytics Monitoring System for encroachments, and AI-based detection of potholes and cracks.
Railways
Three corridor programmes that is the Energy, Mineral and Cement, Port Connectivity; and High Traffic Density cover 434 projects worth Rs 11.17 lakh crore mapped on the PM GatiShakti portal. Of these, 122 projects (12,150 km) are sanctioned and 198 projects (19,779 km) are under appraisal.
Flagship Projects like the Mumbai–Ahmedabad High Speed Rail has crossed 55% physical progress, with land acquisition completed and most civil packages awarded. Dedicated Freight Corridors are 96.4% commissioned, Eastern DFC fully complete (1,337 km) and 1,404 km of the 1,506 km Western DFC are operational, easing passenger network congestion and cutting freight transit times.
Under Amrit Bharat, 1,337 stations are slated for redevelopment, 15 are on PPP mode. Safety and throughput are being strengthened via Kavach (ATP), electronic interlocking, automatic block signalling, and track renewal. Over 78% of tracks now support sectional speeds of 110 kmph and above. PPP traction continues with 18 projects worth Rs 16,636 crore completed and seven worth Rs 16,334 crore under implementation (as of September 2025).
Economic Survey 2026: Railways
Photo Credit: Economic Survey 2026 Document
Civil Aviation
RCS-UDAN has operationalised 657 routes linking 93 airports, including heliports and water aerodromes. A modified UDAN targets 120 new destinations over the next decade to serve 4 crore passengers. Under the Greenfield Airports Policy, 24 projects have in-principle approval, with 13 operational, including Navi Mumbai International Airport.
Digital and tech initiatives: Digi Yatra expansion, liberalised drone rules, PLI support for drone manufacturing, and a focus on Advanced Air Mobility are a part of tech initiates in the civil aviation sector. Legislative reform via the Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak, 2024, and the Protection of Interests in Aircraft Objects Act, 2025, aims to modernise safety frameworks and reduce leasing costs.
Economic Survey 2026: Civil Aviation
Photo Credit: Economic Survey 2026 Document
Ports and Shipping
The Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Scheme (Rs 24,736 crore, valid till March 31, 2036) incentivises domestic shipbuilding, including a Rs 4,001 crore shipbreaking credit note for greener recycling. A Maritime Development Fund of Rs 25,000 crore comprising a Rs 20,000 crore Maritime Investment Fund (49% GoI participation) and a Rs 5,000 crore Interest Incentivisation Fund will deepen long-term financing and PPPs.
The Shipbuilding Development Scheme (Rs 19,989 crore) targets 4.5 million GT annual capacity, greenfield clusters, yard modernisation, risk/insurance support, and an India Ship Technology Centre. Large ships have been added to the Infrastructure Harmonised Master List (September 2025).
Inland Water Transport
The Rs 4,600 crore Jal Marg Vikas Project for NW-1 (Varanasi–Haldia, 1,390 km) targets completion by June 30, 2026, with cargo on NW-1 up 220% since 2014–15 to 16.38 MMT in 2024–25.
River cruise tourism has grown from 3 to 25 vessels across 15 circuits on 13 waterways, backed by a 4,000 km Varanasi–Dibrugarh corridor and 129 terminals, with four new cruise terminals planned by 2027.
The 2024 Jalvahak Scheme incentivises scheduled cargo services on NW-1, NW-2 and NW-16 via the IBP route. Digitisation includes the Jal Samriddhi NoC portal, the Jalyan & Navic “One Nation–One Registration” platform, and Naudarshika for live LAD and safer navigation. In the North-East, projects on NW-2 and NW-16 are underway, DPRs for Nagaland and Mizoram are being finalised; Tripura is implementing a Rs 24.53 crore Gumti–Meghna linkage.
Economic Survey 2026: Cargo
Photo Credit: Economic Survey 2026 Document
Ship Building
To accelerate domestic capacity, the SBFAS (Rs 24,736 crore), the Maritime Development Fund (Rs 25,000 crore) and the SbDS (Rs 19,989 crore) together support financing, risk cover, cluster development, shipyard modernisation, and an India Ship Technology Centre to position India for scale, sustainability, and global competitiveness in ship construction.
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