CARGOCONNECT-APRIL2026 - Flipbook - Page 24
and improves execution predictability across
large-format cargo supply chains.”
Increasingly, corridor-led logistics planning
is shaping warehouse placement decisions across
industrial belts. Sharad adds, “Industrial freight
flows now follow Delhi–Mumbai Industrial
Corridor, Western DFC, and the Chennai–
Bengaluru industrial belt, with warehouse
positioning aligned near major highways under
National Highways Authority of India (NHAI)
and railheads connected to Indian Railways.”
Across consumer-facing supply chains as
well, network structures are shifting closer to
demand clusters. Vishal explains, “Our supply
chain has evolved from a centralised warehouse
model to a regional, consumption led network,
aligned with faster delivery expectations and
omnichannel growth.” He notes that while
this transition “has improved service levels,”
optimisation remains constrained because of
“limited availability of scalable, automation
ready Grade A warehousing in key consumption belts, weak road connectivity around
industrial and logistics parks, and high cost and
ine昀케ciency in short haul movement between
factories, ports, and regional warehouses.”
At a structural level, this transition re昀氀ects
a broader global movement toward predictive
inventory positioning and digitally orchestrated logistics 昀氀ows. Yadav explains, “Globally,
supply chains are shifting from fragmented
distribution models to 昀氀ow-optimised, datadriven ecosystems.” He further emphasises,
“Warehousing is becoming strategic, inventory
positioning is predictive, and movement is
digitally orchestrated,” while noting that
“corridor inconsistency, limited rail-connected
logistics zones, and multimodal transfer gaps
continue to shape network design decisions.”
As he succinctly observes, “the future of supply
chains is 昀氀ow-centric, not warehouse-centric.”
Extending this shift toward digitally
governed logistics execution, Patodi explains,
“A smart, compliant, and future-ready supply
chain in India now hinges on the transition
from human-led to system-governed operations, where intelligence and compliance are
increasingly integrated into real-time data
昀氀ows across the logistics ecosystem.”
Port efficiency is often
limited by documentation
friction, not capacity.
24 | CARGOCONNECT APRIL 2026
Highlighting how vehicle-level intelligence
is strengthening execution safety and predictability across surface transport networks, he
adds that “new-generation vehicles are now
equipped with Advanced Driver Assistance
Systems (ADAS) that monitor driver fatigue,
distracted driving, and harsh braking behaviour, triggering real-time alerts to a central
control tower or designated operations team.”
GST-led consolidation has also accelerated
hub-and-spoke distribution adoption across
large FMCG and beverage logistics networks.
As Srivastava noti昀椀es, “Our network design in
India has shifted from a few large, regionally
concentrated warehouses to a hub-and-spoke,
multi-node distribution model, driven by GST
implementation, e-commerce growth, and
customer expectations for faster delivery.”
He adds that organisations have “expanded
warehouse footprints closer to consumption
centres, added regional distribution hubs, and
increased reliance on 3PL-operated facilities
to improve reach and responsiveness.”
However, even as distribution grids
become more responsive and consumptionled, infrastructure variability continues to
shape execution realities. Srivastava further
states, “Inconsistent road quality and urban
congestion increase transit variability, limited
availability of Grade A warehousing near major
metros constrains scalability, and weak rail and
multimodal connectivity restrict cost-e昀昀ective
long-haul movement,” while also highlighting
that “uneven adoption of digital infrastructure
and data integration across logistics partners
reduces network visibility and limits dynamic
inventory and transport optimisation at an
India-wide level.”
For heavy engineering logistics and overdimensional cargo movements, warehouse
strategy itself is evolving beyond traditional
enclosed storage formats. Sharad explains,
“For ODC and heavy equipment, traditional
warehouses are less useful, and organisations
increasingly rely on heavy-duty open yards
with reinforced concrete surfaces and 100–500
MT crane handling capacity, project-based
temporary yards near solar farms, re昀椀neries,
and wind parks, and multimodal logistics parks
near freight corridors attempting rail-road
integration.”
Despite this structural evolution, several
infrastructure gaps continue to prevent full
nationwide optimisation. Sharad notes that
Globally, supply
chains are shifting
from fragmented
distribution models
to flow-optimised,
data-driven ecosystems. Warehousing is becoming
strategic, inventory
positioning is predictive, and movement
is digitally orchestrated, while corridor
inconsistency, limited rail-connected
logistics zones, and
multimodal transfer
gaps continue to
shape network
design decisions.
SHYAM S YADAV
GLOBAL LEAD– IT
& SUPPLY CHAIN
MANAGEMENT, CARGILL
