Overview
- The Ministry of Home Affairs amended its Gazette notification to add Haldia Dock Complex as an authorised immigration checkpost, a change made official in a June 22 notification.
- The addition was enacted under sub‑section (1) of Section 4 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025 by inserting '41 Haldia (West Bengal)' in the seaports table of the principal September 1, 2025 notification.
- Haldia Port is a deep‑water facility on the Hooghly River operated under the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port and serves as a key eastern gateway for bulk, liquid and containerised cargo about 120 km from Kolkata.
- The designation legally permits immigration clearance for international passengers and crew at Haldia but requires on‑site arrangements such as immigration counters, staffing and coordination with customs and port agencies before services begin.
- This move follows earlier phased updates to the authorised list, including additions on November 20, 2025 and the May 29, 2026 inclusion of Dahej, Sikka and Tuna Tekra, and signals a steady push to broaden India’s maritime entry points and regional connectivity.