The Union Cabinet has approved the Container Manufacturing Promotion Scheme with an outlay of ₹10,000 crore over 13 years, extending up to FY2040, to strengthen domestic shipping container production. It has also cleared a separate sports goods manufacturing scheme worth ₹1,856 crore to support the sector’s manufacturing capabilities and innovation.
The container manufacturing scheme comprises four components: interest subvention assistance, testing and certification assistance, land leasing support and operational expenditure assistance. The framework aims to support new manufacturing facilities as well as the expansion of existing units.
Under the interest subvention component, ₹859 crore has been earmarked to provide a 3% annual interest subsidy on term loans for capital expenditure. Greenfield projects must have a minimum annual manufacturing capacity of 1,00,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), while brownfield expansion projects must meet a threshold of at least 25,000 TEUs. Approved projects will be required to commence operations within three years of receiving in-principle approval and comply with international container standards.
The scheme also allocates ₹150 crore for testing and certification infrastructure, including facilities for dynamic longitudinal impact testing. The initiative is expected to encourage investment in domestic manufacturing and strengthen India’s ability to produce shipping containers that meet global quality and safety requirements.
Commenting on the scheme, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the initiative would also encourage steel manufacturers to produce container-grade steel, supporting the development of a domestic supply chain for container manufacturing.
The Cabinet has separately approved the ₹1,856 crore sports goods manufacturing scheme. The initiative is intended to strengthen domestic production and promote research and innovation in sports equipment design and material sciences, in line with the government’s broader objective of developing India as a global manufacturing base for high-quality, affordable sports goods.
