India to implement ONOP reforms across all ports by march 2027

India will implement the One Nation One Port Process (ONOP) reforms across all ports by March 2027, following a resolution adopted at the 21st meeting of the Maritime State Development Council (MSDC) in Mumbai on 13 October 2026. The reforms aim to standardise port procedures, simplify documentation and improve operational efficiency across the country’s maritime network.

The decision forms part of the Centre’s broader efforts to improve ease of doing business in the maritime sector through unified processes, digital integration and coordinated implementation across Major and Other Than Major Ports.

Chaired by Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, the meeting also resolved that all ports must integrate with the Maritime Single Window (MSW), known as Sagar Setu, by March 2027. The platform is intended to enable unified digital processes, reducing procedural fragmentation and improving coordination among stakeholders involved in port operations.

The ONOP initiative covers three key areas: One Nation One Documentation, Port Process Re-engineering and Inter-ministerial Process Reforms. Together, these measures are intended to simplify cargo-related procedures and promote greater consistency in the way ports handle documentation and regulatory requirements.

To support implementation, Sonowal launched the Ready Reckoner for Implementing ONOP, a guide for Major and Other Than Major Ports. The document brings together references to central circulars issued by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), relating to inter-ministerial process reforms. It also outlines expectations for State and Union Territory governments to expedite implementation.

Strengthening Port Coordination and Efficiency
The ONOP deadline was among the key outcomes of the 21st MSDC meeting, which marked the Council’s first meeting following its recognition as a statutory consultative body under the Indian Ports Act, 2025, notified on 15 May 2026. Originally constituted in 1997, the Council has an enhanced mandate to promote integrated maritime development and coordination between the Centre and coastal States.

The Council also called for faster multimodal connectivity projects linking ports through roads, railways, inland waterways, pipelines and conveyors. States were urged to develop port-linked industrial regions with available land, plug-and-play infrastructure and faster approvals, aligned with port expansion and connectivity plans.