Chairman’s Desk

As the Chairman of NDR Group of Companies, a company that has pioneered India's logistics and supply chain space for the last 60+ years, I feel that the 2020s will be a paradigm shift for Indian logistics.

Firstly we will see that Indian logistics cost drop from the current 13% of the GDP to a healthy below 10% figure. There will be a shift from a high dependency on road transportation to less expensive alternatives like rail and waterways.

Secondly Free Trade Warehousing Zones (FTWZ) will do to India what FTZs have done to China. FTWZs will unveil the true potential of Make in India and open up the horizon for Indian small, medium and micro manufacturers and Indian farmers.

FTWZs will ensure - proper supply of raw materials; controlled prices of commodities; boost exports of Indian manufactured goods; integrate India to global supply chains; accelerate agricultural exports and exports of farm produce; raise farmers' income through better price realization of agri commodities; improve employment; enable bespoke innovations like FTWZ linked door delivery of commodities and products and FTWZ linked used car oriented auto zones and others.

Collectively they will power India's vision and dream machines like - Make in India; double the farmers' income by 2022; enhance India's share of global trade to 5% by 2025; and finally make India a USD 5 trillion economy by 2025.

It is important for India to achieve these goals with full responsibility to the society and the environment and in a socially inclusive manner.