Sagarmala Project was originally mooted by the National Democratic Alliance (India) Government

under Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2003 as an waterway equivalent to the Golden Quadrilateral, another
project under his government but in roadways. The project aimed to leverage India's vast coastlines
and industrial waterways to drive industrial development.[1] The project was expected to reduce cost
and time for transporting goods, benefiting industries and export/import trade. Thus transforming
India's Coastlines as gateway of India's prosperity. Though under the later UPA governments (I and
II), the project received much lesser attention.

On 25 March 2015 Cabinet gave approval for this project to develop 12 ports of India and also 1208
Islands.[2] The project was launched by Ministry of Shipping (the nodal ministry for this initiative) in
Karnataka on 31 July 2015 at Hotel Taj West End, Bangalore.[3] A National Sagarmala Apex
Committee (NSAC), composed of the Minister in charge of Shipping, with Cabinet Ministers from
stakeholder Ministries and Chief Ministers / Ministers incharge of ports of maritime states as
members, will provide policy direction and guidance for the initiative’s implementation, shall approve
the overall National Perspective Plan (NPP) and review the progress of implementation of these
plans.[4][5]

The programme aims to promote port-led development in the country by harnessing India's 7,500-
km long coastline, 14,500-km of potentially navigable waterways and strategic location on key
international maritime trade routes.[6]

36 projects have been proposed by the Andhra Pradesh government for Sagarmala. Indian coastline
will be developed as Coastal Economic Regions (CER).[7]

The Sagarmala Development Company was given the nod for incorporation by Indian Cabinet on 20
July 2016 with an initial authorized share capital of Rs 1000 Crore and subscribed share capital of
Rs 90 Crore, to give a push to port-led development.[8]

The Sagarmala National Perspective Plan was released on 14-April-2016[9] with details on Project
Plan and Implementation.[10]