Department of Logistics and IIFT signed an MoU in the presence of Suresh Prabhu

Expenditure on investment in logistics, including infrastructure, will touch USD 500 billion, annually, by 2025, said Union Minister of Commerce and Industry in New Delhi today. He further said that this will create millions of jobs and also do away with the hurdles hampering India’s internal and global trade.

India is now being looked upon as one of the most appropriate destinations for manufacturing and service locations by many of the foreign companies. Further, initiatives like digital India, make in India, skill India have added a boost to the sub-continent's vast pool of resources, cost-efficient environment and skilled workforce.

During recent years, Indian government has taken many measures to improve the trade performance through efficient and effective logistics. The measures include smoothening of the border and cross border documentation and activities, dedicated freight corridors, investments in port and other infrastructures, alignment of all business processes thus attempting to improve logistics performance of the country.  Recognizing that efficient and effective management of logistics will have a positive impact on overall trade in manufacturing and services.

The Minister said that Logistics Wing has been created in the Department of Commerce for the integrated development of this sector. Due to these efforts, infrastructure status has been granted to warehousing, cold chains and multimodal logistics parks. The Ministry is working on a National Logistics Policy and also bringing out a policy on the development of Multi-modal Logistics Parks to be announced soon.Further, the Minister said that the cost and speed of logistics at present is hindering the market share that Indian products deserve and in order to solve these issues in an integrated and holistic way the Centre for Trade Facilitation and Logistics (CTFL) has been given a mandate by Department of Commerce (Logistics Division) to prepare a plan and act for following objectives:

• To bring together industry, academia, governments & organizations of national and international level, to work on the key supply chain and logistics, management challenges facing firms in the globalized environment.
• To train and build the required Human resource skills through appropriate training and academic programs and create a cadre of Trade Facilitation & Logistics management experts/professionals.
• To impart training to Government officials who are working in the Logistics & Trade facilitation sectors.

The Ministry has agreed to provide a block one-time funding support of 80.00 lakhs towards initial infrastructure and a phase wise support of 339.90 lakhs for four years. This centre will attempt to document and monitor the trade and logistics activities and suggest suitable measures for its improvement.

The Minister also released the logo of Logistics division. It is a graphic symbol representing a pair of swans who are known for their ability to travel long distances and are comfortable in the sky, water and on earth and represents team work, synergy and coordination between various partners involved in logistics. 

Logistics infrastructure reform advances integrated policy, training, and funding to enhance trade facilitation and supply chain performance. The Ministry has created a Logistics Wing, is preparing a National Logistics Policy and a policy for Multi modal Logistics Parks, and has granted infrastructure status to warehousing, cold chains and multimodal logistics parks. A Centre for Trade Facilitation and Logistics will coordinate industry, academia and government to document, monitor and improve logistics performance, provide training to build a cadre of trade facilitation and logistics professionals, and deliver training to government officials, supported by one time and phased public funding.