CII Unveils Strategy to Position India as a Global Logistics Hub

24^th Feb 2025, Chennai – The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has outlined an ambitious strategic vision to establish India as a “Global Logistics Hub,” leveraging the nation’s rapidly expanding logistics sector and economic potential. As India strengthens its position as a key player in the global logistics landscape, this initiative aims to harness its unique strengths to create employment opportunities, attract investments, and drive economic growth.

The logistics sector in India is fueled by the growth of e-commerce, manufacturing, and Global Capability Centres (GCCs). India has already emerged as a preferred GCC hub for global enterprises seeking efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and innovation. This expanding sector is expected to generate significant employment opportunities, with an estimated 1.5 to 1.7 crore jobs within India by 2030.

India has all the essential elements to emerge as a global leader in logistics. The country boasts a rapidly developing logistics infrastructure, which lays a strong foundation for seamless connectivity and efficient supply chain management. Complementing this growth is a diverse and skilled workforce that spans all levels of management, ensuring expertise and adaptability across the sector.

Additionally, India has a strong talent pool of business and technology leaders who drive innovation and strategic growth within the industry. The expanding presence of Global Capability Centres further strengthens India’s position as a hub for international business operations.

The nation’s thriving startup ecosystem fosters creativity and technological advancement, fueling disruptive innovations in logistics solutions. This progress is supported by a robust education system that encourages early industry engagement, preparing the next generation of professionals to meet future challenges. Moreover, government policies have been increasingly supportive, creating an environment conducive to growth and international collaboration in the logistics sector.

‘Logistics for All’ – A Transformative CII Initiative

To achieve this vision, CII has launched the “Logistics for All” initiative, a collaborative effort to engage all stakeholders in the logistics ecosystem. This initiative will create a multitude of opportunities across industries and geographies, offering aspirational career paths, professional growth, and leadership opportunities.

“The ‘Logistics for All’, a CII initiative, engaging all stakeholders, is critical to realize the vision of positioning India as a global logistics hub. This initiative will create numerous opportunities, offering aspirational careers that span industries and geographies. This initiative will offer career growth, job satisfaction, and leadership opportunities in the increasingly important human-machine collaboration,” said Mr. R Dinesh, Chairman, CII-Institute of Logistics Advisory Council.

The CII Institute of Logistics serves as a collaborative platform that brings together policymakers, industry stakeholders (both logistics service providers and user sectors), academia, training centers, and aspirants to collectively work towards India’s emergence as a global logistics powerhouse.

Strategic Workforce Development for Logistics Excellence

A key pillar of CII’s strategy is the comprehensive development of the logistics workforce. This approach emphasizes industry-aligned training programs designed to deliver strong placement outcomes, ensuring that trainees are well-prepared for real-world demands. It also focuses on providing early exposure to logistics careers for senior and senior secondary school students, fostering interest in the field from a young age. To meet regional demands, localized training centers are being established in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, expanding access to skill development across the country. Additionally, the strategy aims to promote logistics as an aspirational career path to attract skilled talent. Strategic collaborations are being pursued to develop internationally recognized training programs, ensuring global relevance. CII also engages with international industries to standardize knowledge and facilitate global placements for trainees, aligning India’s logistics workforce with global benchmarks.

CII’s six-pronged workforce development strategy is designed to bridge the rural-urban divide, address the unique needs of both SMEs and large enterprises, and enhance gender diversity in the logistics workforce. These integrated strategies will help shape aspirations for careers in global logistics and supply chain management, further solidifying India’s position as a dominant force in the global logistics industry.

About CII Institute of Logistics:

CII School of Logistics is India’s first-ever industry-led Logistics and Supply Chain Business School. The curriculum is meticulously designed and developed by industry experts, incorporating a robust academic framework aimed at mentoring and rigorously training students. This comprehensive approach ensures that graduates are fully equipped to meet global industry standards. Since its inception, the CII School of Logistics has consistently achieved 100% placement for qualified students year after year.

The institution offers a learner-centric, well-structured curriculum supported by a dynamic pedagogy that caters to the evolving needs of the logistics and supply chain industry. The curriculum undergoes continuous review by thought leaders, academicians, and industry professionals to maintain its relevance and effectiveness.

Teaching is delivered by experts from diverse sectors, including logistics, shipping, supply chains, and manufacturing. The faculty pool also includes professionals from the CII Institute of Logistics and other esteemed industry bodies. Students benefit from the guidance of experienced faculty who bring a wealth of both industrial and academic exposure, ensuring a holistic learning experience