New Delhi: India could save nearly Rs 7 lakh crore annually and create close to 1 crore jobs by improving freight movement, with better integration of dedicated rail corridors and multimodal logistics parks, IIM Mumbai said on Friday.
Connecting Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs) with Multi-Modal Logistics Parks (MMLPs) could reduce transit times, lower logistics costs and make supply chains more reliable, the institute’s Director, Prof Manoj Kumar Tiwari, said.
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The integration would enable smoother movement between rail, road and other transport modes, while generating employment in transportation, warehousing, distribution and freight forwarding, he added.
An IIM Mumbai report, Future Talent Requirements in Logistics: Vision 2047, estimates that the sector will require around 1.15 crore additional professionals by 2030.
The report, led by Tiwari, has been submitted to the Education Ministry for review.
Tiwari’s observations followed the completion of the 1,506-km Western Dedicated Freight Corridor, linking JNPT in Navi Mumbai with Dadri in Uttar Pradesh.
Built exclusively for freight, the corridor is expected to increase cargo capacity, shorten transit times and make delivery schedules more predictable, he said.
“The WDFC is a significant step towards transforming India’s freight and logistics network,” Tiwari said, adding that it could deliver substantial long-term benefits for businesses and the wider economy.
Tiwari said India’s logistics market, estimated at around Rs 22.95 lakh crore in 2022, was projected to reach Rs 47.12 lakh crore by 2030. The industry currently contributes around 13 percent to the country’s GDP, he added.
However, the next phase of growth would require better coordination and wider technology adoption alongside investment in physical infrastructure.
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Advanced analytics and agentic AI could improve visibility across freight operations, support decision-making and make transfers between transport modes more efficient, he said.
Expanding freight corridors, logistics parks and digital systems together could help build a more integrated network, bringing down supply-chain costs and creating employment opportunities, Tiwari added.
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