• India’s manufacturing growth will translate into global competitiveness only if logistics systems become more efficient, predictable, and resilient across the entire supply chain.
• Improving port performance, strengthening multimodal transport corridors, and accelerating digitisation are essential to reducing costs, delays, and operational bottlenecks.
• Treating logistics as a national competitiveness priority, with greater transparency, resilience, and regulatory consistency, will determine India’s ability to emerge as a trusted global export hub.

India’s emergence as a global manufacturing contender increasingly depends not on production capacity alone, but on the efficiency and sophistication of the logistics systems that connect factories to global markets. As manufacturers expand output across engineering goods, pharmaceuticals, speciality chemicals and capital equipment, logistics performance has become a strategic determinant of export viability.

The country’s ability to convert manufacturing strength into sustainable global competitiveness will rely on how effectively it can integrate multimodal connectivity, digitise workflows and reduce structural cost inefficiencies.

This reflects a broader shift in global supply chains, where trade flows are diversifying and businesses are seeking destinations that offer not only stable industrial capacity but predictable, transparent and resilient logistics operations. India stands at a pivotal juncture where its manufacturing revival is gathering momentum, yet its logistics infrastructure must advance at an equivalent pace to fully capture global opportunities.

Ports as catalysts for export competitiveness

A central element of this transition lies in India’s maritime capability. Capt. Pankaj Mehrotra, CEO – Shipping Agency at Samsara Group, articulated the centrality of oceans to India’s trade aspirations.

“Manufacturing can only succeed when maritime links are efficient, predictable and globally connected,” he stated. “Cost competitiveness is determined not just in the factory but across the entire logistics chain.”

He argued that improved vessel turnaround times, streamlined documentation and greater adoption of coastal shipping could materially reduce logistics costs. As global container networks adjust to new geopolitical and economic realities, Mehrotra stressed that India must evolve into a dependable maritime hub supported by robust hinterland connectivity.

Infrastructure and the need for integrated transport corridors

The broader challenge, according to Makarand Pradhan, Managing Director at Total Transport Systems Limited, is ensuring that India’s infrastructure keeps pace with its manufacturing growth.

“Manufacturers are scaling quickly, but infrastructure must scale with them. Integrated transport corridors with road, rail, air and ocean must work as a single system if India wants to compete globally,” he observed.

Pradhan pointed to persistent bottlenecks at gateways, inconsistent warehouse modernisation and gaps in road connectivity. Without coordinated investments and long-term planning, he cautioned, India risks constraining its own competitiveness despite strong domestic production capability. His comments highlight the need for policy alignment and cross-agency coordination to support seamless multimodal flow.

Precision logistics as a requirement for large-scale industries

For heavy industries, logistics inefficiencies can erode margins rapidly. Pranab Jha, Executive Vice President, Shipping at JSW Steel, outlined the operational pressures facing steel exporters.

“Steel exports operate on tight margins, leaving little tolerance for inefficiency,” Jha noted. “Logistics precision with timely vessel availability, predictable inland movements and documentation reliability is central to maintaining global competitiveness.”

He emphasised that volatility in shipping markets ranging from capacity shortages to shifting freight patterns requires companies to adopt flexible routing strategies and multimodal approaches. For high-volume sectors, logistics is not just a cost centre but a critical contributor to commercial performance.

Supply chain resilience as a strategic competency

The need for resilience was underscored by Deepak Sharma, Group CPO & President – SCM at Kalpataru Projects International, who argued that disruptions now carry broader implications for corporate performance.

“Supply chain resilience is no longer optional. It is a strategic capability that determines whether companies meet international expectations,” Sharma explained.

He stressed the growing role of digital tools that can support predictive planning, supplier visibility and risk assessment. With global contracts often tied to stringent compliance norms and delivery commitments, Sharma noted that logistics disruptions can significantly impact project timelines and financial outcomes.

Cost transparency and digitisation as enablers of competitiveness

Representing the perspective of an integrated logistics service provider, Sushil Dugar, Chief Operating Officer – Logistics Services at Balmer Lawrie & Co. Ltd, highlighted that exporters increasingly prioritise transparency and cost visibility.

“For India to compete, logistics must offer both cost efficiency and end-to-end visibility,” he said. “Customers now demand transparency at every stage at routing, documentation, safety and delivery performance.”

Dugar emphasised that digital adoption across the logistics chain—including track-and-trace, system integrations and automated documentation—will be vital to lowering transaction costs and reducing dwell times. These elements are especially important for air cargo stakeholders handling time-sensitive and high-value shipments.

A framework for building an export-ready India

From the consolidated insights of industry leaders, several strategic priorities emerge such as,

• Strengthening multimodal infrastructure to ensure predictable movement across domestic and international nodes.
• Accelerating digitisation and data interoperability to reduce documentation burdens and improve coordination across supply chain actors.
• Enhancing maritime competitiveness and port efficiency to support high-volume and high-value exports.
• Ensuring regulatory consistency and simplification to reduce friction across supply chains and improve international compliance.
• Investing in capability development within logistics providers to match the operational sophistication demanded by global markets.

Samir J Shah, President of ACAAI, observed that India is entering a new phase of trade development, where logistics excellence will directly shape global market positioning. “Manufacturing strength alone cannot make India a global export leader. The defining factor will be the efficiency and resilience of our logistics systems,” Shah summarised the sentiment.

Positioning India as a reliable global trade partner

India’s manufacturing economy is expanding at a pace that reflects confidence in its industrial potential, supported by favourable policy initiatives and shifting global sourcing strategies. However, the path to export competitiveness will be shaped by logistics efficiency on lhow quickly cargo moves, how reliably it reaches global destinations and how effectively systems adapt to disruptions.

The panel emphasised that, India must treat logistics as a national competitiveness priority. Reducing logistics costs, strengthening multimodal corridors and building digitally enabled, resilient supply chains will determine whether India evolves from a manufacturing destination into a globally trusted export hub.

In an era where supply chain performance increasingly influences trade relationships, India’s logistics capability may ultimately define the trajectory of its economic ascent.