Over a month after the announcement of the Adani Group’s proposed sale of a 49% stake in Adani Vizhinjam Port Private Ltd. (AVPPL) to Terminal Investment Ltd. (TiL), the port arm of MSC Group, the port concessionaire has not yet approached the Centre seeking central clearances, including security clearance.In reply to a question in Parliament, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, has said the Kerala government has informed the Centre that it has received a proposal from AVPPL for prior approval of the Concessioning Authority, i.e., the Government of Kerala, for transfer of 49% equity in AVPPL. However, the Centre has not received any proposal from Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited in this regard.The Centre also made that ports other than major ports, also referred to as non-major or minor ports, are under the administrative control of the respective State governments, and their development falls within the jurisdiction and responsibility of the States. Vizhinjam International Seaport is a non-major port being developed by the Kerala government under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode through a concession agreement with the AVPPL.The State government has earlier entrusted an Empowered Committee headed by the Chief Secretary with studying and submitting a report on whether the proposal by the Adani Group to divest its 49% stake in AVPPL, the concessionaire and operating company of the Vizhinjam International Seaport, is in the State’s interests.The stake sale move had courted political controversy in Kerala as AVPPL announced a deal to sell a 49% stake to Switzerland-based Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) without seeking the prior approval of the Kerala government. The proposed transaction could be completed only after obtaining the State approval along with clearances from the Union Ministries of Home Affairs and Ports, Shipping and Waterways.Speaking to The Hindu, sources in the AVPPL said “it would approach the Centre seeking necessary clearances only after obtaining the approval of the State government. The company has only completed the process of disclosing the proposed stake sale to the stock exchanges under Securities and Exchange Board of India regulations along with its public announcement. Now, the request seeking approval of the State government has been placed before the State government, which is pending. Only after the State government approval, further approval could be sought from the Government of India, including from the Competition Commission of India. Once all these conditions are satisfied, the shares could be transferred,” said the company sources. Published - August 07, 2026 07:46 pm IST