The Union Finance Ministry has taken a major step to boost infrastructure development and provide clarity to investors by announcing a comprehensive three-year pipeline for Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects. This forward-looking plan, covering both the Centre and states, outlines 852 projects with a staggering total investment exceeding ₹17 lakh crore.
A Strategic Blueprint for Infrastructure Development
Announced by the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) on January 7, 2026, this initiative fulfills a commitment made during the Union Budget 2025-26 by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The core objective is to provide early visibility of upcoming projects, enabling investors, developers, and stakeholders to plan their investments and resources more effectively. As the ministry stated, the pipeline is designed to facilitate more informed planning and investment decisions across the board.
The massive pipeline is split between central ministries and state governments. 232 projects, valued at ₹13.15 lakh crore, fall under eight central infrastructure ministries. Meanwhile, 20 states and Union Territories will execute 620 projects worth ₹3.84 lakh crore.
Central Ministries Leading the Charge
The bulk of the central government's investment and project count is concentrated in key infrastructure sectors:
- Ministry of Road Transport and Highways tops the list with 108 projects requiring an investment of ₹8.77 lakh crore.
- Ministry of Power follows with 46 projects worth ₹3.4 lakh crore.
- Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has 29 projects valued at ₹12,254 crore.
- Other significant contributors include Ports, Shipping and Waterways (22 projects, ₹37,644 crore), Railways (13 projects, ₹30,904 crore), and Civil Aviation (11 projects, ₹2,262 crore).
States Ramp Up Their PPP Agenda
On the state front, Andhra Pradesh has emerged with the most ambitious pipeline, proposing 270 projects with an estimated cost of ₹1.16 lakh crore. Tamil Nadu plans 70 projects worth ₹87,640 crore, while Uttar Pradesh has listed 89 projects requiring ₹11,519 crore. Other states with substantial plans include Jammu & Kashmir (57 projects, ₹21,374 crore) and Madhya Pradesh (21 projects, ₹65,497 crore).
Building a Shelf of Ready Projects
This structured approach addresses a long-standing need for predictable project flow. The concept, as explained by former Expenditure Secretary Manoj Govil in February 2024, is for each department to maintain a "shelf" of projects for implementation over a multi-year horizon, rather than proposing them sporadically. This allows for systematic sectoral planning and smoother funding arrangements.
To support states in this endeavor, Finance Minister Sitharaman had announced that they could seek assistance from the India Infrastructure Project Development Fund (IIPDF) scheme to prepare robust and bankable PPP proposals. This end-to-end visibility—from project conception to pipeline announcement—is expected to significantly enhance private sector participation and accelerate India's infrastructure modernization, ultimately fueling broader economic growth.
