A new trade agreement between the U.S. and India could boost traffic at the Georgia Ports Authority.
Georgia Ports handled 22% of India’s containerized trade on the U.S. East Coast in fiscal year 2025. Savannah’s overall loaded container trade with India grew by nearly 48% to 304,450 twenty-foot equivalent container units for fiscal 2021 to fiscal 2025.
With India set to become the world’s fourth-largest economy in 2026, officials contend the country offers significant trade potential for U.S. shippers. Home to nearly 1.5 billion people, India is already the world’s most populous country.
Sixty-five percent of the population is under age 35. India and the U.S. are both democracies, English-speaking and offer huge economic potential.
Sourcing from India helps U.S. companies diversify their supply chains and offers a cost-competitive procurement strategy. India is expected to outpace other Asian nations this year, with a projected GDP growth of 6.5 percent in 2026, according to the World Bank.
The Port of Savannah offers faster total transit times for Indian cargo bound for markets such as Atlanta, Memphis, and Nashville than West Coast gateways. Ocean routes are shorter from India to the U.S. East Coast, and Savannah delivers faster rail service.
Six weekly vessel services provide direct Savannah–India connections, totaling 10 services linking Savannah to the broader Indian subcontinent. Eleven ocean carriers operate on these routes, delivering transit times as short as 29 days. Direct services call at Nhava Sheva/Mumbai, Pipavav, and Hazira, with additional port calls on the Indian subcontinent, including Colombo, Sri Lanka.
With Savannah’s industry-leading speed to U.S. rail of 22 hours, cargo is discharged from vessels on day one, placed on rail by day two, and available at many inland destinations by day three. The Port of Savannah’s Mason Mega Rail Terminal handles 42 trains per week, with double-stack rail service from CSX and Norfolk Southern to all major inland markets.
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