Piyush Goyal on Thursday backed deregulation of freight rates while underlining that the government is already taking steps to support exporters facing rising shipping costs. Speaking at a public event, the Commerce and Industry Minister said market-driven freight pricing would encourage investment and capacity addition in the logistics and shipping sectors, helping stabilise rates over time.
Goyal noted that temporary price volatility should not deter policy moves that enable private-sector expansion in container shipping and allied services. He said the government has introduced measures to assist exporters during periods of elevated freight charges, including targeted financial support and logistics facilitation, though he did not detail new schemes in his remarks.
The minister also argued that easing regulatory constraints on freight pricing would attract private capital to expand vessel capacity, port infrastructure and inland logistics, which are essential to reduce bottlenecks and lower long-term transportation costs. Industry stakeholders have long pressed for a regulatory framework that balances market signals with safeguards for small exporters and essential commodities.
