Raja Kumar and Anirban Sanyal share views on trade corridors, resilience, and future talent, highlighting how India can overcome fragmented infrastructure to emerge as a trusted logistics hub in the next global supply chain era.
“India’s participation could transform the country from a passive trade node.”
Raja Kumar, Head, Export Warehouse, Maruti Suzuki India, believes India’s participation in the India–Middle East–Europe Corridor (IMEC) and the International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC) could transform the country from “a passive trade node to a regional logistics hub within five years.” IMEC offers faster links to Europe by reducing reliance on the Suez Canal, while INSTC is already shortening transit times to Central Asia and Russia. He sees these corridors spurring bonded logistics parks, multimodal hubs, and value-added services.
“It’s not just a lane change; it’s India taking the driver’s seat”
Anirban Sanyal, Senior GM, Supply Chain & National Logistics, Century Plyboards, echoes this optimism, calling these corridors a shift that will “supercharge India’s global logistics game.” For him, they mark not just a new route but “India taking the driver’s seat.”
Key barriers
Both leaders underline that ambition must be matched with execution. India’s biggest hurdle, they agree, is fragmented infrastructure and regulatory misalignment. Kumar points to disjointed ports, rail, and customs systems that “cause delays and inefficiencies,” stressing the need for “a nationwide digital single window for real-time tracking, interoperable documents, and harmonised customs rules.” Sanyal adds that while India has the ambition and vision, it must “harmonise policies, digitise end-to-end supply chains, and aggressively invest in multimodal logistics parks and last-mile connectivity” to convert potential into position on the global trade leaderboard.
Resilient shifts
Supply chains in India are already learning to balance efficiency with resilience. Kumar highlights how companies are diversifying suppliers, boosting domestic sourcing, and creating buffers through flexible warehousing and strategic inventories. “The result is a more shock-resistant supply chain that can recover faster from disruptions,” he says. Sanyal frames this evolution more vividly: “Indian supply chains are learning to dance in the rain while keeping the cargo dry and the customer delighted.” Both see resilience not as an alternative to efficiency but as a new competitive advantage.
Future talent
Looking ahead, both agree that talent will be the true differentiator. Kumar emphasises digital fluency in AI, IoT, blockchain, and analytics, alongside global compliance expertise and sustainability management. Sanyal complements this by stressing “geopolitical literacy, ESG acumen, and cross-cultural collaboration.” He predicts growing demand for “tech-savvy logisticians, data-driven planners, and strategic negotiators.” Together, they see India’s future supply chain leaders as individuals who can blend code with context, navigating complexity with agility and foresight.
Shared vision
The insights from Raja Kumar and Anirban Sanyal converge on a common vision: India’s logistics future lies in building stronger corridors, overcoming infrastructure bottlenecks, and nurturing talent capable of driving innovation and sustainability. Corridors like IMEC and INSTC will provide pathways, infrastructure reforms will lay the foundations, but people will remain the force that carries India forward. In their view, India’s supply chain journey is not only about reducing costs or improving transit times; it is about creating trust, resilience, and credibility in global trade.
