“There is a need to develop a comprehensive approach towards logistics to reduce transportation costs and make exports more competitive,” stated by Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways (Independent Charge) and Chemicals & Fertilizers, Government of India, while speaking at the Inaugural Session of the National e-Conference on Boosting Exports: The Role of Ports & Logistics organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) recently.

The minister was of the view that waterways in India needed to be encouraged as they were the cheapest mode of transportation. The whole gamut of logistics including movement of goods by road rail and inland waterways needed to be developed in tandem. He highlighted that the government had done a lot in terms of development of ports as well as promoting ease of doing business at the ports. He also stated that Indian ports have now come up to world class standards.

Sanjay Chadha, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Industry highlighted that the cost of logistics in India amounted to 14 per cent of GDP as compare to 8 per cent in Germany and 9.5 per cent in the USA. Clearly, there was a need to reduce logistics cost. This would have a direct impact on the competitiveness of India’s exports and give it the much-needed boost. He was of the view that the best way to do this was to focus on the development of inland waterways.

HK Joshi, CMD, Shipping Corporation of India Ltd stated that the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways had developed Maritime India Vision 2030 which seeks to provide a major boost to port infrastructure, digitisation development and upgradation of ports among others. She stated that with the rapid growth being witnessed the country, exports were bound to increase and ports would have a major role to play.

Anoop Kumar Agarwal, Managing Director, Indian Port Rail & Ropeway Corporation Ltd stated that there had been a significant improvement in the infrastructure of the ports which has resulted in reducing the turnaround time for cargo to 8 hours. The focus was on improving last mile connectivity inside the ports to improve turnaround time.

Sanjay Budhia, Chairman, CII National Committee on EXIM and Managing Director of Patton International Ltd addressing the CII National e-Conference on Boosting Exports: The Role of Ports & Logistics, highlighted that the performance of ports in India’s economic development has never been more compelling. Robust ports network can go a long way in boosting India’s quest for being a manufacturing giant under initiatives such as ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, he added.