Cabinet approves ₹10,000 crore container manufacturing scheme

The Union Cabinet approved a ₹10,000 crore Container Manufacturing Promotion Scheme on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, to expand domestic production and improve the competitiveness of Indian-made shipping containers. The programme will support new manufacturing facilities and the expansion of existing plants, with assistance for operating costs, eligible loans, and testing and certification. The approved allocation includes ₹859 crore for interest subvention on eligible term loans, ₹8,891 crore for operational assistance and ₹150 crore for testing and certification facilities. The operational support is intended to help bridge the cost difference for containers manufactured to global shipping standards and sold by eligible manufacturers. Testing support includes facilities for dynamic longitudinal impact assessments. Government projections say the scheme could increase annual domestic manufacturing capacity nearly tenfold, to 7.5 lakh twenty-foot equivalent units, or TEUs. The government also estimates that it could generate about 3,000 direct jobs and more than 50,000 indirect jobs, while supporting related industries such as specialised steel, corner castings, wooden frames and...