Hampered by inadequate transport infrastructure and a disorganised logistics sector, India’s national government has announced it is forming a council to help develop the sector. No timeframe for its establishment has been confi rmed, however.

Among others, the council’s objectives will be to increase efficiencies and reduce the costs of moving goods across India, as well as supporting and providing input for the growth of the country’s logistics industry.

“The council would devise and implement projects [to] help bring down expenditure on logistics from 15 per cent of [India’s] GDP to 9-10 per cent,” an Indian Shipping Ministry official told Indian media.

“The council also wants to develop a [more] organised trucking industry, as currently about 75 per cent of total logistics expenditure goes to this sector. A unified system to tackle issues such as [too many] toll booths, state road barriers and checkpoints would be developed that would prevent time and cost over-runs.”

The proposed council will comprise members from industry; while the government will facilitate the financing of projects, provide technical assistance and give policy inputs designed to significantly improve the logistics industry.