More than 90 per cent of India´s inbound and outbound cargo is moved by the freight forwarding industry. Our association is the apex body and is a national body for this industry. We are a very important link between the trade and the government as we represent the interests of the trade to the government and assist in bringing the relevant policies to the trade.

We should have had it 20 years ago, but we still don´t have it. It was thought of when the Congress was in power and it was the BJP which was the principal opponent to it. Now when the BJP is in power it is the Congress which is the principal opponent. Our national parties need to come to terms over what is good for our nation and leave their individual stands aside.

The Indian logistics market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12.17 per cent by 2020, driven by the growth in the manufacturing, retail, FMCG and e-commerce sectors. India is expected to register a steady uptick in logistics growth, on the back of the improvement in the country´s infrastructural environment.

India, due to its long coastline, is richly endowed with natural maritime advantages. The countrys 7,500 km coastline covers 13 states and Union Territories. A number of ports along the long coastline lie along key international trade routes. There is huge potential even for inland water transport.

Kalmar, part of Cargotec, offers the entire range of products for port and marine logistics. We supply quay cranes, RTGC, ASC, straddle carriers, shuttle carriers, reach stackers, empty container handlers, forklifts, terminal tractors and automatic stacking cranes.We also provide handling solutions to heavy industries and rental segment customers

At IRClass, in the last 12 months, we have seen growth in our top line. However, the global slump in oil prices, the dip in offshore productions, China´s slowdown, and India´s mining crisis, have inevitably resulted in pressure on industry revenue streams.

For a country of Indias size and complexity, where 95 per cent of trading by volume and 70 per cent by value is done through sea, it is very important to develop a sustainable maritime transportation system for economic growth and inclusive development.

Two of the most crucial UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), set in 2000, were to halve the numbers of those in the world without drinking water and sanitation by 2015.

India is the third largest pre-engineered building (PEB) market in the world after the US and China. With a market size of about half a million metric tonne and a growth rate of 8-10 per cent, according to industry estimates, however, the growth hasn't been a pervasive one.