Connectivity key to India’s global competitiveness: Rahul Sahai

Transportation and mobility have evolved beyond the movement of people and goods to become critical drivers of India’s competitiveness, productivity and integration with global markets, Chairman of the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Jammu Chapter, Rahul Sahai, said while addressing the ICC Global Business Summit – Edition 2 here.

Sahai was speaking during a session on “Transportation & Mobility for National Competitiveness – Next Gen Mobility: Connecting India to Global Markets” held at Taj Palace, New Delhi.

The session brought together senior representatives from the government, railways, logistics, infrastructure and international organisations to deliberate on the role of next-generation mobility and connectivity in strengthening India’s position in global markets.

The session featured Dr Manoj Singh, Member (Operations & Business Development), Railway Board; Ateesh Kumar Singh, IRTS, Additional Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT); and Kanishka Sethia, Chairman, ICC National Logistics & Supply Chain Committee and Director & CEO, Western Carriers (India) Limited.

The discussion was moderated by Sanjiv Garg, former Additional Member, Railway Board and Secretary General, Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport–India.

Other panellists included Vicky Makrigianni, Director, International Relations, Hellenic Federation of Enterprises, Greece; Keku Bomi Gazder, Managing Director & CEO, Aviapro Logistic Services Pvt. Ltd.; Shobhit Bhatnagar, IRTS, Director (Operations & Business Development), Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL); Abhijeet Sinha, Programme Director – Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) & National Highways for Electric Vehicles (NHEV); and Soumya Chattopadhyay, Lead Programs Officer, Asian Development Bank, India Resident Mission.

In his concluding remarks, Sahai emphasised the need for faster logistics, multimodal connectivity, modern warehousing, technology-enabled supply chains and sustainable mobility solutions to improve the efficiency and competitiveness of Indian businesses, particularly MSMEs.

He said seamless connectivity would be increasingly important for enabling businesses to access wider markets, reduce logistics costs and integrate more effectively with domestic and international supply chains.

Highlighting developments in Jammu and Kashmir, Sahai said improved highways, tunnels, rail connectivity and logistics infrastructure were opening up new markets and creating opportunities for investment, tourism and local businesses.

He particularly underlined the potential of improved connectivity to strengthen the competitiveness of MSMEs in the region by providing them better access to markets and supply chains.

“India’s next phase of growth will be driven not simply by how much we produce, but by how efficiently we connect—our industries to markets, our regions to opportunities, and India to the world,” Sahai said.

At the conclusion of the session, Sahai felicitated the speakers and dignitaries and thanked them for sharing their insights on transportation, mobility and logistics.

He also congratulated the ICC leadership and Secretariat for organising the second edition of the ICC Global Business Summit at Taj Palace, New Delhi.