Why in news?

Gujarat's first generation of privately developed ports — Pipavav and Mundra — are approaching the end of their original 30-year concession periods.

Despite the approaching deadlines, the state government has not yet announced a formal policy framework for extending operating rights, putting Gujarat's next phase of port policy under scrutiny.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• BOOT Model
• Background: Gujarat's Port Privatisation Model
• The Two Ports in Focus
• Why the Delay Matters: An Investment Concern?
• How Other States Compare?
• A Signal from Gujarat's New Shipbuilding Policy

BOOT Model

• BOOT (Build-Own-Operate-Transfer) is a public-private partnership (PPP) model used for developing infrastructure projects. Under this model:
  • A private developer builds the infrastructure (like a port, highway, or power plant) using its own capital.
  • The developer owns and operates the asset for a fixed concession period (typically 20-30 years), earning revenue through user charges, tariffs, or tolls.
  • At the end of the concession period, ownership of the asset transfers back to the government, usually free of cost or at a nominal value.
• It is a variant of the broader BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) family of models, distinguished by the explicit "ownership" phase held by the private developer during the concession period.
• How It Works: The Logic?
  • The government lacks the capital or technical capacity to build large infrastructure alone.
  • Under BOOT, it invites private players to fund, construct, and run the project, allowing them to recover costs and earn profit over the concession period.
  • Since the asset eventually reverts to the state, public ownership of strategic infrastructure is preserved in the long run.

Background: Gujarat's Port Privatisation Model

• In the late 1990s, Gujarat opened its coastline to private investors under a 1997 Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT)
• Private developers were given rights to build and operate ports for an initial concession period of 30 years, after which assets would revert to the government unless agreements were extended.
• This model helped Gujarat emerge as India's largest maritime State, attracting billions of dollars in investment and handling a substantial share of the country's cargo traffic.

The Two Ports in Focus

• Pipavav Port: Operated by APM Terminals Pipavav (part of Netherlands-based APM Terminals group). Its 30-year BOOT concession, signed in 1998, is scheduled to end on September 29, 2028 — making it the first of Gujarat's original private ports to reach the end of its term.
• Mundra Port: Operated by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ). Its concession expires on February 16, 2031.

Why the Delay Matters: An Investment Concern

• The lack of clarity is increasingly seen as an investment issue, not just a contractual one.
• Port infrastructure requires continuous investment in dredging, mechanisation, deeper berths, rail connectivity, and cargo-handling facilities.
• Without certainty on post-concession operations, developers may hesitate to commit fresh capital with long payback periods.
• This concern has already surfaced publicly:
  • In October 2025, APM Terminals Pipavav signed a non-binding ₹17,000-crore investment memorandum with the Gujarat government, but indicated major investments would follow only after concession clarity.
  • APSEZ's Whole-time Director and CEO said the company expects the Pipavav decision to precede Mundra's, given Pipavav's earlier 2028 deadline, and that discussions are underway.

How Other States Compare

• Newer port projects across India have adopted longer concession horizons than Gujarat's original 30-year model:
  • Andhra Pradesh (Gangavaram, Krishnapatnam) - 30 years + 20-year extension = up to 50 years
  • Kerala (Vizhinjam) - 40 years + 20-year extension = up to 60 years
  • Odisha (Dhamra) - 34-year initial period (including construction), extendable
• Notably, both Gangavaram and Krishnapatnam are now part of APSEZ's own portfolio, following Adani Group's acquisition of controlling stakes.

A Signal from Gujarat's New Shipbuilding Policy

• Gujarat's newly unveiled shipbuilding policy offers the clearest hint yet of the state's direction.
• Developers setting up new shipyards can now secure waterfront concessions of up to 50 years, replacing the earlier 30-year tenure.
• Industry executives interpret this as recognition that large maritime infrastructure needs long-term policy certainty to justify multi-billion-rupee investments.
• This longer-concession approach is also shaping Gujarat's upcoming greenfield port projects.
• For six new ports planned along the coastline — Nana Layja (Kutch), Vadhera (Amreli), Vadodra Jhala (Gir Somnath), Damka (Surat), Lakhanka (Bhavnagar), and Bhogat (Devbhumi Dwarka) — the GMB has indicated concession periods could range between 30 and 50 years, with the final tenure decided during bidding.
• These will also follow the BOOT model.

Conclusion

As Gujarat's pioneering port concessions approach expiry, its policy response will test whether the state can match the longer-term certainty now offered by rivals like Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.

The outcome will shape not just coastal investment in Gujarat, but the broader template for India's maritime infrastructure growth.

About Mount Bromo:

• It is a small but active volcanic cinder cone located on the Indonesian island of Java.
• It is located in the center of the Sandsea Caldera, itself only a portion of the larger Tengger Caldera.
• The historical record indicates eruptions of Bromo every few years since 1804, and geologic evidence indicates eruptions at least several hundred years earlier.
• The most recent eruption occured in 2004 and tragically killed two tourists.

About Exercise Pitch Black 2026:

• It is a biennial and multinational exercise hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).
• It is the RAAF’s flagship international flying exercise.
• The name ‘Pitch Black’ was derived from the emphasis on nighttime flying over large unpopulated areas.
• 2026 Edition:
  • It was based out of RAAF Bases Darwin and Tindal in the Northern Territory, as well as RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland.
  • It featured a massive assembly of global air forces, providing an unparalleled platform for interoperability.  
  • The exercise focused on highly complex aerial manoeuvres, including offensive counter-air operations, air defence tracking, and tactical coordination between completely different styles of aircraft and communication systems.
  • The IAF contingent consisted of 145 air warriors including the IAF Commandos team, Garuds, four Su-30 MKI, one C-130, and one C-17 for logistic support for induction and de-induction.
  • For the IAF, training alongside advanced air assets from nations like the US, UK, Australia, France, and regional partners offers crucial exposure to contemporary air warfare tactics, electronic warfare defence, and modern network-centric operations.
  • Previous participation of India: The IAF has previously participated in the 2018, 2022, and 2024 editions of this exercise.

About Qadr-F Missile:

• It is a ballistic missile developed by Iran.
• The missile was developed by the Islamic Republic of Iran under its national missile program based upon the Shahab-3 missile.
• Its existence was disclosed by the Iranian Armed Forces during a military parade in September 2007.
• Features:
  • It features a dual-stage propulsion system using both liquid and solid fuel and follows a ballistic flight path.
  • It has a maximum range of 2,000-2,500 kilometers.
  • It features a radar-evading warhead to allow it to penetrate areas protected by missile defenses.
  • It can carry a single blast fragmentation warhead or multiple reentry vehicles depending on the target profile.

About Sonai Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary:

• It is a protected area located in the northwestern area of the Sonitpur district of Assam.
• Climate: The sanctuary experiences a subtropical type of climate with hot and humid summers, with heavy summer rains often causing floods and river overflows.
• The Burhidihing River traces its course through the sanctuary.
• The Namchang River, flowing from the state of Arunachal Pradesh, enters this region and joins the Burhidihing River.
• Flora: It mostly comprises evergreen forest. However, grasslands are also common in this region.
• Fauna:
  • The main attractions of the sanctuary are Elephant and Indian bison.
  • The other animals found in the sanctuary are deer, one-horned rhinoceros, leopard, tiger and some rare species of cats.
  • Avifauna includes endangered species like White Winged Wood Duck. Other birds commonly found here are Woodpecker, Hill Myna, Indian Roller, Nightjar, Horned Owl, etc.

About Palau:

• It is an island nation located in the western Pacific Ocean.
• It consists of a tightly clustered archipelago of approximately 300 islands.
• It is geographically positioned in both the Northern and Eastern hemispheres of the Earth.
• Palau shares maritime borders with the Federated States of Micronesia to the east, with Indonesia to the south, with the Philippines to the west, and with the international waters to the north.
• A huge barrier reef system, continuous on the west and broken on the east, encircles most of the archipelago.
• Its major populated islands are Babeldaob, Koror, Malakal, Arakabesan, and Peleliu.
• Located on Babeldaob (the largest island of Palau) is Ngerulmud, the capital of Palau.
  • It is the world’s least populous capital city.
• Koror is the largest and the most populous city of Palau. It acts as the main commercial center of Palau.
• Languages: Palauan, English, plus Japanese, Sonsorolese, and Tobian.
• Palau became independent in 1994, after being part of a United Nations trust territory administered by the US.
• It relies on financial aid from the US, provided under a Compact of Free Association, which gives the US responsibility for Palau’s defence and the right to maintain military bases there.

About Microbacterium pollutisoli:

• It is a new species of bacteria discovered in toxic soil of a banned pesticide Hexachlorocyclohexane in Uttar Pradesh.
• It is named by combining the Latin words pollutus, meaning "contaminated," and solum, meaning "soil." Together, the name literally translates to "the Microbacterium of polluted soil."
• Characteristics:
  • It forms shiny, yellow circular colonies and is shaped like a short rod.
  • It is capable of growing in temperatures ranging from 12°C to 46°C and surviving in highly alkaline conditions.
  • Its genome revealed biosynthetic gene clusters.
  • These are sets of instructions in their DNA that allow the bacteria to produce valuable compounds like carotenoids (natural pigments used in vitamins), ectoine (a substance that protects cells from stress), and beta-lactones (chemicals often studied for their ability to fight bacteria or even cancer cells.

About Yemen:

• Location: It is situated at the south-western corner of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. 
• Borders: It shares its border with Saudi Arabia (North) and Oman (East).
• Coastline & Strategic Importance:
  • Red Sea (West), Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, and Guardafui Channel (South).
  • Yemen is strategically located at the entrance of the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. The strait links the Indian Ocean to the Red Sea via the Gulf of Aden. 
• Capital City: Sanaa
• Geographical Features of Yemen:
  • Climate: It lies in the border zone between two main weather patterns: the regular northerly winds (from the Mediterranean basin) and the southwest monsoon winds.
  • Highest Point: Yemen’s highest point is Jabal an Nabi Shu’ayb at 3,760 m.
  • Desert: Rub’ Al Khali Desert.
  • There are no perennial lakes and rivers

About Nyishi Tribe:

• The Nyishi are the largest ethnic group in Arunachal Pradesh.
  • In Nishi, their traditional language, Nyi refers to “a man” and the word shi denotes “a being”, which combined together refers to a civilized human being. 
• Occupation: The Nyishi support themselves with slash-and-burn agriculture and hunting and fishing. 
  • Along with agriculture and allied activities, the Nyishis are experts in handicrafts such as weaving, cane and bamboo works, pottery, blacksmith, wood carving, carpentry, etc.
• Festivals: The Nyishi celebrates three major festivals, namely, Boori-Boot (February), Nyokum (February), and Longte (April).
• Society:
  • Polygymy is prevalent among the Nyishi.
  • They trace their descent patrilineally and are divided into several clans.
  • One striking feature of Nyishi society is that it is neither based on a caste system nor stratified into classes, except for a loose type of social distinction which is not determined by birth or occupation.