It’s about paperwork. The government doubled the validity of environmental clearances for ports and harbours; from 10 to 20 years. Why? Because building a port takes forever. Land acquisition, financing, dredging, approvals; it’s messy. And a 10-year clearance? Often expired before the first ship even docked. Now, developers get 20 years upfront, with room to stretch to 30 if needed. The catch? Extensions aren’t automatic; committees will check if environmental safeguards are still strong. This isn’t just red tape relaxation. It’s a vote of confidence in India’s maritime ambitions; greenfield ports, shipbuilding clusters, coastal corridors; all get smoother sailing. If you’re tracking infrastructure jobs, logistics, or coastal development; this is the tiny policy shift with big ripple effects. Because sometimes, the most powerful changes don’t come with fanfare. They come in PDFs signed on a Monday.