Unlocking India’s Inland Water Transport Potential: Analysis of the National Waterways (Construction of Jetties/Terminals) Regulations, 2025

Inland water transport (“IWT”) in India holds immense potential as a cost-effective, environmentally friendly alternative for the movement of goods and passengers. With a vast network of approximately 14,500 km of navigable rivers, canals, and backwaters, India’s inland waterways offer a strategic advantage for long-haul transportation. However, IWTs currently constitute a fraction of the overall inter-modal transport mix. In order to create a conducive environment for development of inland water terminals in India, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has recently enactedthe National Waterways (Construction of Jetties/Terminals) Regulations, 2025.This note provides a detailed analysis of these regulations.


Merchant Shipping Act

Charting a New Course: Legal Implications of Merchant Shipping Act, 2025 on Indian Maritime Governance

The enactment of the Merchant Shipping Act, 2025 (“MSA”) presents a landmark legislative milestone in India’s vision of becoming a global maritime hub. The MSA repeals the erstwhile Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 and introduces a regulatory environment that is aligned with the global maritime industry standards. The MSA is designed for enhancing regulatory efficiency, attracting foreign investment, and increasing Indian tonnage by liberalising key areas such as vessel ownership and registration. This note provides an analysis of the fundamental changes to the maritime sector introduced by the MSA.


clean energy | S&R Associates

Clean Energy: Issue 3 of 2025

Issue 3 of 2025 of our Roundup Series on Clean Energy covers the six-month period between April and September 2025. This Issue tracks regulatory and other key developments at both Central and State levels in the covered period with respect to solar and wind energy generation, green hydrogen and green ammonia production, tariffs, connectivity, biogas/biofuel, electric vehicles, and nuclear energy, and includes miscellaneous updates (including on hydropower and pumped storage) and key judicial decisions.


Indian Ports Act, 2025

Indian Ports Act, 2025: A Paradigm Shift in Port Regulation and Development

Foreign investment is a key contributor to India’s growth story and India continues to consistently experience growth in inflow of foreign direct investment (“FDI”). The Government of India has announced that the provisional figure of FDI inflow into India for the financial year ended March 31, 2023 was USD 71 billion and according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) World Investment Report, India remains a favored destination for global investors.
In this note we discuss certain key legal considerations for a foreign investor investing in India.


Draft Guidelines for Greenfield Clusters and Brownfield Shipyards - shipbuilding development scheme

Draft Guidelines for Greenfield Clusters and Brownfield Shipyards

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways issued draft greenfield shipbuilding cluster development guidelines (“Greenfield Cluster Guidelines”) and draft brownfield shipyard expansion guidelines (“Brownfield Shipyard Guidelines”) on November 06, 2025 which seek to accelerate the pace of shipbuilding in India. This update provides an overview of the Greenfield Cluster Guidelines and the Brownfield Shipyard Guidelines.


investment in renewable energy projects

Investment in Renewable Energy Projects: Key Legal Due Diligence Considerations

India has rapidly adopted clean energy to diversify its energy mix given its climate commitments. An enabling policy framework and technological advances have resulted in broad based participation in this sector. This note considers key issues for a legal due diligence on renewable energy generating plants having regard to various stages of project development.


virtual power purchase agreements

Integrating Virtual Power Purchase Agreements into India’s Power Market: Proposed Changes to the Regulatory Framework

Certain changes to the Indian regulatory framework, as applicable to virtual power purchase agreements (“VPPAs”), have been recently proposed by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (“CERC”) pursuant to draft regulatory instruments – including through VPPA-specific guidelines, as well as necessary amendments to existing CERC regulations related to the power market and renewable energy certificates (“RECs”), respectively.
With the broad aim of enabling power consumers and obligated entities to meet their respective renewable consumption obligations (“RCOs”) pursuant to the Indian Government’s decarbonization targets and proposed energy security transition, and given the acknowledged utility of VPPAs to facilitate such mandatory RCO compliance, the draft amendments aim to (i) integrate VPPAs into the Indian power market, including by defining the nature and essential features of such contracts, and establishing their placement within the over-the-counter (“OTC”) market, (ii) provide concrete mechanisms for VPPAs to function as viable market instruments, and (iii) clarify the treatment of RECs under the contractual scheme of VPPAs. Accordingly, OTC platforms now have the additional objective of facilitating transactions between buyers and sellers in respect of contracts related to VPPAs and RECs, among others.
This note analyzes the draft amendments with reference to VPPAs.


Indian maritime laws

Charting a New Course: An Overhaul of India’s Maritime Legislation

India’s maritime sector has expanded substantially over the past 10 years. To improve upon the growth spurt, the Government has recently adopted five new legislations with the aim to modernize regulations, boost investment and streamline port operations. This note seeks to highlight certain key provisions introduced in these pivotal legislations and recent policy.


exemptions from Non-Agricultural Tax

Exemptions from Non-Agricultural Use Certificate and Non-Agricultural Tax for Solar and Wind Energy Power Generation Projects in Maharashtra

The Government of Maharashtra (“GoM”) on January 29, 2025 had issued a circular regarding exemptions from non-agricultural use certificates (sanad) for industrial projects. The GoM recently issued another circular on August 7, 2025 introducing important clarifications regarding exemptions from obtaining non-agricultural use certificates (sanad) and payment of non-agricultural tax for solar and wind power projects. This note highlights the similarities, differences, and sectoral focus of the two circulars in order to aid stakeholders in understanding the exemptions in respect of land use for industrial projects and power generation projects in Maharashtra.


Clean Energy

Clean Energy: Issue 2 of 2025

Issue 2 of 2025 of our Quarterly Roundup Series on Clean Energy covers the period between February and May 2025. This Issue tracks regulatory developments at both Central and State levels in the covered period with respect to solar energy generation, green hydrogen production, wind energy generation, tariff, connectivity, biogas, electric vehicles and e-mobility, and nuclear energy, and includes miscellaneous updates and key judicial decisions.
Significant developments in the covered period include clarifications on domestic content requirements for solar photovoltaic cells, issuance of the Green Hydrogen Certification Scheme of India, amended guidelines for tariff-based competitive bidding for power procurement from grid-connected wind solar hybrid projects, a landmark decision on whether the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission has jurisdiction to adjudicate tariff-related disputes involving nuclear power generation, new State-level regulations on green energy open access, operational guidelines to promote domestic manufacturing of electric passenger vehicles, issuance of new or revised State-level EV policies, a dedicated scheme for the implementation of biofuel projects in Madhya Pradesh, announcements on India’s Nuclear Energy Mission and establishment of taskforces to introduce legislative and regulatory changes in India’s nuclear energy sector, detailed procedures related to the offset mechanism under India’s Carbon Credit Trading Scheme, and draft guidelines for virtual power purchase agreements.