New Delhi, Feb. 10 -- India's flurry of trade deal-making with the UK, EU, US and others has revealed a push for strong export growth. Tariff barriers are coming down, standards are being aligned and new sectors from electronics to renewables are being positioned for global integration.

But this quest rests on a brittle foundation.

India's port and logistical infrastructure is out of step with the demands of climate-resilient trade. The country's maritime ambitions are growing faster than its ability to shield its nodal points of trade from floods, heatwaves and chronic inland bottlenecks.

Over 95% of India's international merchandise trade by volume moves by sea. Kandla, Nhava Sheva, Mundra, Visakhapatnam and Chennai move hundreds of ...