New Delhi - The Indian coastal shipping industry has expressed disappointment over the recently announced eligibility criteria for infrastructure status, which industry representatives say unfairly excludes the majority of vessels operating in coastal waters.

On September 19, the Ministry of Finance granted infrastructure status to Indian-owned and flagged commercial ships with a gross tonnage (GT) of 10,000 and above, or Indian-built, owned, and flagged ships of 1,500 GT or more. While the move has been welcomed as a boost for large fleet owners, it has also sparked criticism from coastal shipping operators who say . . .