New Delhi, Aug 9 (FN Agency) The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) hosted its 10th Automotive Logistics Conclave on Friday, with a theme of “Enhancing Efficiencies in Automotive Logistics.” The event brought together government officials, logistics leaders, and industry professionals to explore advancements and strategies shaping the future of automotive logistics in India. The opening session, titled “Future of Automotive Logistics: Innovations Driving Logistics Efficiency,” was moderated by Rahul Mishra, Partner at Kearney. The panel included B N Puri, Director at the Asian Institute of Transport Development (AITD); Saurabh Sood, President & Managing Director of GATX India Private Limited; Rahul Yadav, CEO of Axestrack; S Kannan, Head of Outbound Logistics at TVS Motors; and Prem Verma, Director PVA Services.
They discussed innovations driving efficiency in automotive logistics, setting a forward-looking tone for the discussions. Tapan Ghosh, Chairman of the SIAM Logistics Group and Vice President of Sales at Hyundai Motor India, stated, “The Automotive Industry’s turnover has grown beyond Rs 20 lakh crores, contributing about 6.8% to India’s GDP. With the automobile industry transforming towards newer powertrains, the automotive logistics segment should also transform. Automotive logistics should not only be efficient but also resilient and sustainable.” The first session, “Smart Logistics Solutions,” was moderated by Girish Mirchandani, Editor of Transtopics. Subhash Chandra Karol, Director, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, highlighted, “Smart logistics is essential for efficiency, and the government is committed to reducing logistics costs from 10% to 7-8% of manufacturing costs.
Initiatives like PM Gati Shakti are driving infrastructure development, and with the National Logistics Policy, we’re targeting further cost reductions and improved global rankings by 2030. Collaboration across ministries and the use of GIS-based data are key to these efforts.” K C Sharma, Chief Engineer at the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, commented, “Accidents arise from factors like road conditions and vehicle issues. To address this, we’re piloting a project in Chandigarh and Assam that connects accident data with medical facilities, ensuring swift, cashless treatment for victims. We’re also advancing GNSS-based tolling for seamless, pay-as-you-use travel to reduce stoppages and enhance movement across the country.”
This session also included Anil Chhikara, Advisor Transport at Assam Transport Department; Vipul Nanda, Chairman & Managing Director of Pallia Trans Logistics; Herman Sips, Senior Strategic Advisor at Smart Freight Center; and Yash Pal Sachar, Vice President of Corporate Affairs at Ashok Leyland Limited. The second session, focused on “Reducing Carbon Footprints by Enhancing Logistics Efficiency,” discussed innovative approaches to minimising the environmental impact of logistics operations in the automotive sector. Alok Tripathi, Executive Director at the Railway Board, noted, “We’re steadily increasing the share of railways in automobile logistics to promote sustainability. With the market shifting from small to larger vehicles, the Indian Railway system will be equipped with newly designed wagons to meet evolving industry needs. Our fleet has grown from 10 units in 2016-17 to 176, with plans to expand to 300. Our rail coefficient in automotive logistics, which was 1.5% a decade ago, will reach 22% this financial year.” The session also featured Ashish Bhatt, MD of APLL VASCOR Automotive Pvt Ltd; Mukesh Haritash, Director of Chetak Group; Rajeev Bhaskar, COO (Rail Business) at IVC Logistics; and Pawan Agrawal, Executive Vice President at Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. It was moderated by Ajeet Kumar, Director of Marketing & Communication at Cargo Connect. Arun Malhotra, Auto Industry Expert & Former MD of Nissan India, and S D Chhabra, Executive Officer (Parts, Accessories & Logistics) at Maruti Suzuki India Ltd., also participated in the programme. The event concluded with SIAM Logistics Group honouring over 30 logistics companies for their excellence in the field.