Rajasthan-Arabian Sea Connectivity Project | 21 Nov 2025

Why in News?

The Government of India has initiated preliminary planning for a new transport connectivity project aimed at linking landlocked Rajasthan directly with the Arabian Sea, improving logistics efficiency, trade access, and industrial growth in the state.

Key Points

• The proposed connectivity project aims to provide landlocked Rajasthan with a direct multimodal transport link to the Arabian Sea region, primarily through an Inland Waterway and Port, reducing dependency on distant ports and improving access to global trade routes.
• The plan is being examined under the broader PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, and involves utilizing the National Waterway-48 (NW-48) to connect to the Arabian Sea.
• Rajasthan currently depends heavily on ports in Gujarat, especially Deendayal Port, Mundra, and Pipavav, with long transport distances raising costs for exporters and industries.
• The proposal involves the construction of an Inland Port near Jalore and the development of a navigable waterway connecting key industrial districts in Western Rajasthan (such as Jalore and Barmer) to the Gulf of Kutch via Deendayal Port.
• The connectivity plan is expected to support sectors such as textiles, ceramics, marble, minerals, engineering goods, and handicrafts, all of which form major export components of Rajasthan’s economy.