How is India moving from container importer to manufacturer?
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, joined by Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Minister of State Nimuben Bambhaniya, recently visited Aawadkrupa Plastomech Pvt. Ltd. in Bhavnagar, Gujarat—one of the first facilities producing fully manufactured shipping containers in India as part of the country’s “Make in India” initiative.
📦 Bhavnagar’s Container Manufacturing Push
- The plant in Navagam, Bhavnagar currently churns out around 15 containers per day, with capacity to scale up to 100 daily thanks to expanded infrastructure.
- Government interest has enabled CONCOR (Container Corporation of India) to place major orders, positioning Bhavnagar as a strategic manufacturing hub amid global supply shortages.
🎯 Strategic Future & Official Backing
During the inspection, Minister Vaishnaw emphasized:
“Bhavnagar is gradually emerging as a container manufacturing hub. Facilities like Aawadkrupa Plastomech demonstrate our commitment to building domestic supply chains and reducing import dependency.”
He further pledged full government support to help the facility meet growing global demand and integrate with India’s logistics and export infrastructure.
🧭 Why It Matters
- Strategic sovereignty: India currently imports most shipping containers. Turning to domestic production reduces exposure to supply chain shocks.
- Economic boost: This newly industrialised region in Gujarat now offers high-volume manufacturing, potential exports, and job growth.
- PLI & Make in India alignment: Expanding container manufacturing aligns with India’s PLI (Production-Linked Incentive) schemes and national priority to build world-class logistics infrastructure.
“Bhavnagar is gradually emerging as a container manufacturing hub…”
— Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Railway Minister
Investors and logistics firms: consider collaborating to expand India’s container output and strengthen domestic warehousing, transportation, and export infrastructure—Bhavnagar is now open for partnerships.
