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The Brihanmumbai Custom Brokers’ Association (BCBA), the apex body of the customs-broking fraternity in Mumbai, successfully hosted the second edition of its flagship policy forum, the India Logistics Conclave 2026, on June 17, 2026, at The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai. Building on the massive success of the inaugural 2024 edition, the high-profile, single-day gathering united over 550 industry stakeholders, senior policymakers, and logistics leaders. The landmark event was held under the powerful theme, “One Fraternity, One Vision — Logistics Driving India Towards Viksit Bharat.”
Designed as a coherent dialogue on the transformative forces reshaping India’s trade-and-logistics ecosystem, the conclave focused heavily on digital customs, the strategic "China Plus One" opportunity, Free Trade Agreement (FTA) utilisation, infrastructure delivery policies, and the evolving role of the licensed intermediary. The core discussions reflected the BCBA’s firm conviction that customs brokers and freight forwarders have transitioned from traditional back-office facilitators into front-line, equal growth partners in the nation’s economic story.
Underscoring this vision, the association’s leadership emphasised the sector's crucial contribution to national development. Mr. Sanjeev Harale, President of BCBA, highlighted that with falling logistics costs and maturing policies, the sector now sits at the heart of national growth, requiring stakeholders to actively shape industry changes. Mr. Dushyant Mulani, Immediate Past President, noted that the conclave has evolved from an idea in 2024 into a powerful movement, proving the fraternity's readiness to sit at the high table of national policy. Further reinforcing this stance, Mr. Paresh Thakkar, Senior Vice President, described the customs broker as the vital thread holding the entire EXIM chain together, declaring their commitment to leading, innovating, and helping build the Viksit Bharat of 2047.
The prestigious Inaugural Session brought together an eminent cross-section of leaders from Indian Customs and the country’s premier ports ecosystem. The distinguished dais featured key government and port authority heads, including Shri Yogendra Garg, Member (Customs), CBIC; Shri Gaurav Dayal, IAS, Chairman, JNPA; Dr M Angamuthu, IAS, Chairman, Mumbai Port Authority; and Shri Shyam Jagannathan, IAS, Director General of Shipping. Joining them were industry captains Capt. Deepak Tiwari, Managing Director, MSC India and Chairman, CSLA; Capt. BVJK Sharma, CEO, Navi Mumbai International Airport; and Shri Niraj Ambani, Group President — Supply Chain, Reliance Industries. Additionally, Shri Vivek Chaturvedi, Chairman, CBIC, addressed the massive gathering online, while the session also took the opportunity to felicitate industry veterans for their distinguished, lifelong contributions to the EXIM community.
Throughout the day, panel sessions drew prominent voices from policy, shipping lines, terminals, and academia to deliberate on the long-horizon roadmap for Viksit Bharat 2047. The conclave concluded with a highly impactful Valedictory Session titled “Custom Brokers and Freight Forwarders — Growth Partners.” The concluding keynote address was delivered by Mr. Dhimant Parekh, Founder of The Better India, who emphasised the critical role of brokers as front-line trade-facilitation partners within the CBIC, DGFT, and PGA frameworks.
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The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the establishment of the Integrated Transport & Logistics Authority (ITLA) as a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to bring greater coordination and multimodal integration to India’s transport and logistics infrastructure planning. The decision, announced on October 6, 2026 is aimed at addressing fragmented planning and implementation across multiple ministries and agencies. ITLA will function as the national apex institution for integrated transport and logistics planning, research, project appraisal, monitoring, policy support and data analytics. A key mandate will be the preparation of a National Transport Master Plan with a planning horizon of 10 years or more. The plan will cover roads, railways, ports and shipping, civil aviation, inland waterways, coastal shipping, urban mobility and logistics. The authority will also assess short-term sectoral plans of around five years and annual plans of transport ministries to ensure their alignment with the long-term master plan. This is expected to encourage multimodal infrastructure development and improve coordination between different modes of transport. Another important responsibility will be the technical appraisal of Central government infrastructure projects costing ₹500 crore or more. While ITLA will undertake technical evaluation, financial appraisal will continue through existing government mechanisms. The authority will subsequently monitor the implementation of such projects, facilitate coordinated issue resolution and conduct post-implementation impact assessments to evaluate project outcomes. The new institution will also establish a National Transport Data Repository (NTDR) by integrating transport and logistics datasets from multiple sources, including GSTN e-way bills, FASTag, Vahan, GPS-based systems and urban traffic management platforms. The consolidated data is expected to support freight-flow and origin-destination analysis, enabling more evidence-based infrastructure planning and monitoring. ITLA will further advise and assist in reviewing and updating the National Logistics Policy, 2022, besides supporting capacity building, training and skilling in logistics. It will also promote research and innovation across transportation and logistics. The government expects the authority to strengthen multimodal connectivity, improve infrastructure efficiency and help reduce logistics costs, while enhancing India’s competitiveness in global trade. The initiative is also positioned as an institutional mechanism supporting the country’s Vision 2047 objectives and complementing existing initiatives such as the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan and the National Logistics Policy. 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐓𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 CARGOCONNECT 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬!
FedEx has introduced Global Trade Navigator, a new suite of digital tools designed to help businesses simplify international shipping, improve shipment data and navigate customs requirements with greater confidence. The initiative, announced on September 9, 2026, brings trade information and guidance earlier into the shipping process, helping businesses make more informed decisions and address potential clearance issues before they arise. International shipping can involve complex requirements related to customs documentation, duties, taxes, product classifications and regulatory compliance. FedEx said these challenges can affect businesses of all sizes. Its 2026 FedEx Small Business Trade Index found that 68% of small and medium-sized businesses regularly see customers surprised by duties at delivery, while 60% report losing revenue through refunds or abandoned purchases. Against this backdrop, Global Trade Navigator brings together digital capabilities covering key stages of international trade, from shipment planning and preparation to checkout, customs clearance and reporting. “International shipping requires businesses to make complex decisions long before a package begins its journey,” said Jason Brenner, senior vice president, digital portfolio, FedEx. “Building on decades of global trade expertise, Global Trade Navigator makes critical trade information and guidance more accessible to businesses as they grow internationally. The result is fewer surprises and a more predictable experience for businesses and consumers.” As part of the new offering, the FedEx Trade Planner will provide free, self-service guidance through fedex.com without requiring users to log in. Businesses can use the tool to look up Harmonized System codes, estimate duties, taxes and fees, and identify recommended documentation before creating a shipping label. FedEx is also enhancing FedEx Ship Manager, enabling customers to review product Harmonized System classifications, customs values and country-of-manufacture information. These capabilities are intended to improve the quality and completeness of shipment data before goods enter the international shipping process. For e-commerce businesses, the new FedEx Duty and Tax app on Shopify will allow merchants to display a duty and tax guarantee at checkout, giving customers greater visibility into potential import costs before completing purchases. Meanwhile, Global Trade APIs, available through the FedEx Developer Portal, will allow businesses to integrate product classifications, estimated duties and taxes, and regulatory information into their existing workflows. FedEx is also enhancing its Import Tool and Reporting capabilities, allowing customers to monitor customs clearance activity, identify required actions, manage payments and access global import and export data. The company said the tools are designed to serve a broad customer base, from small and medium-sized businesses undertaking international shipping for the first time to larger enterprises integrating trade information into established systems. The launch forms part of FedEx's wider investment in a more connected and intelligent international shipping experience aimed at helping businesses navigate cross-border trade complexity and expand globally. 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐓𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 CARGOCONNECT 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬!
Flipkart has expanded the scope of its logistics business by opening its supply chain arm, Ekart, to external businesses, allowing micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands, manufacturers and large enterprises to use its nationwide logistics infrastructure. The move marks a broader push by the e-commerce company to grow its business-to-business logistics operations beyond servicing its own marketplace. Under the new model, businesses can access Ekart's transportation, warehousing and fulfilment services without being part of the Flipkart ecosystem. The company has also introduced a franchise-based logistics network that currently operates through more than 300 outlets across cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Surat. Flipkart plans to expand this network to over 1,000 outlets by the end of 2026. The expansion is aimed at enabling smaller businesses to leverage an established national logistics network instead of investing in their own distribution infrastructure. In addition to freight movement and last-mile delivery, participating businesses will gain access to Ekart's warehousing facilities and technology platform to manage inventory, fulfilment and shipment tracking. The development reflects the increasing trend of e-commerce companies commercialising their in-house logistics capabilities as standalone service offerings. India's growing D2C ecosystem, coupled with rising demand for integrated supply chain solutions, has created new opportunities for logistics providers offering nationwide fulfilment, transportation and warehouse management services. Ekart has gradually expanded its third-party logistics portfolio in recent years through services such as warehousing, business-to-business transportation and integration with digital commerce platforms. The latest initiative further broadens its addressable customer base by making its end-to-end logistics network available to businesses across sectors. The company said the expanded network is designed to support businesses of varying sizes by providing access to nationwide logistics infrastructure, allowing them to focus on product development and market expansion while outsourcing supply chain operations. Follow CARGOCONNECT for more such updates.
