From India’s barge-powered cargo corridors to Singapore’s tech-enabled synchrony, logistics leaders Sameer Parikh and Dr. Inderjit Singh break down global models and India’s unique potential in crafting world-class multimodal transport infrastructure.
India is a global hub for cost-effective engineering and fabrication
When it comes to efficient multimodal logistics, India is at a pivotal point of evolution. While global freight systems offer inspiration, adapting them to India’s terrain and trade requirements demands a nuanced, India-first approach. In this insightful exchange, two veterans, Sameer Parikh, President & Chief Business Officer at JM Baxi, and Dr. Inderjit Singh, global aviation consultant and former CEO of IGI Airport, bring rich global and domestic perspectives to the table.
India’s Waterway edge
For Sameer Parikh, multimodal logistics isn’t just about linking ports to highways; it’s about connecting industrial ambition to the very arteries of the nation. He highlights how India’s natural coastline lends itself to barge- and vessel-based transport. “The west coast may offer calmer waters, but it’s the east coast with its deep-water ports that demands robust planning due to cyclones and unpredictable seas,” he notes.
Sameer points to India’s engineering strength in fabricating large-scale equipment, especially for oil, gas, and power sectors, as a driver for multimodal demand. In the 80s and 90s, logistics for sub-100-tonne equipment was manageable. But as demand and scale increased, the need for marine-based transport pushed fabrication yards closer to waterfronts. “Deck-top barges transformed movement,” he explains, enabling oversized cargo to travel from fabrication sites to ports and further inland. “Movements through the Ganges, once seasonal, are now round-the-year possibilities, thanks to Sagar Mala.”
Global lessons, Indian applications
Global best practices demand unified control across all transport modes
Turning the lens abroad, Dr. Inderjit Singh speaks from his deep-rooted experience in aviation and global transportation systems. What makes countries like Singapore and Japan stand out? “It’s their synchronisation,” he says, “between urban planning, tech, and transport nodes.” These nations excel not just through hardware, but also through integrated software and unified platforms that allow real-time modal coordination.
Singh stresses the need for unified administrative control. “Unlike India’s fragmented model,” he explains, “countries like the UK, South Korea, Singapore, and Japan have empowered transport authorities that oversee operations across all modes, enabling data-sharing, coordination, and fast execution.”
India’s strategic advantage
However, Singh is quick to point out India’s inherent strengths. The subcontinent sits at the crosshairs of global air and sea routes. “Our coastline invites maritime trade, and our geography allows for strategic air halts with added revenue benefits,” he says. Add to that a vast railway system and an expanding highway grid, and India is well-positioned to lead.
Together, Parikh and Singh offer a message that is both realistic and optimistic: India’s path to multimodal excellence lies not in replication, but in reimagination, rooted in its geography, powered by innovation, and guided by global insight.
