§1How big it is
Logistics cost 7.97% of GDP and 9.09% of non-services output in 2023-24; total about Rs 24.01 lakh crore (NCAER study for DPIIT)
PIB backgrounder: From Growth Engine to Global Edge - Supercharging India's Logistics (27 Nov 2025)Smaller firms face significantly higher logistics costs, which affects their ability to scale and compete (NCAER study finding)
PIB backgrounder: From Growth Engine to Global Edge - Supercharging India's Logistics (27 Nov 2025)
§2Ways to get started
- Truck brokerage / fleet aggregator
- Last-mile delivery franchise
- Small warehouse or cold storage near a mandi
- Customs clearing agent (with licence)
- Packers and movers
§3Hubs and clusters
- Bhiwandi (Maharashtra), NCR (Gurugram-Manesar), Chennai, Kolkata (Haldia corridor) - well-known warehousing hubs; Dedicated Freight Corridors and Multi-Modal Logistics Parks (not confirmed as a list)
§4Licences and registration
- Goods carriage permits and national permit (state transport department)
- Customs Broker licence (CBLR 2018) for customs clearance
- WDRA registration for warehouses issuing electronic negotiable warehouse receipts (optional)
- FSSAI licence for food storage / cold storage
- Fire NOC and building approvals for warehouses
- Multimodal Transport Operator registration (DG Shipping) for freight forwarders issuing MTO documents
- Udyam Registration (MSME) - free, online, PAN + Aadhaar based
- GST registration (mandatory above turnover threshold or for inter-state supply / e-commerce sale)
- Shops & Establishment registration or Factory Licence (Factories Act / state rules) depending on size and power use
- Consent to Establish and Consent to Operate from the State Pollution Control Board - category (Red/Orange/Green/White) as per CPCB 2025 harmonised list; White category is exempt from consent
- IEC (Importer Exporter Code) from DGFT if you import or export
§5Regulators
- DPIIT Logistics Division (National Logistics Policy, PM Gati Shakti)
- MoRTH (road transport, permits)
- CBIC (customs brokers, ICDs/CFS)
- WDRA (warehouse registration for negotiable warehouse receipts)
- FSSAI (food warehousing)
§6Government help
- National Logistics Policy 2022 and PM Gati Shakti
- Multi-Modal Logistics Parks
- Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (warehouses, cold storage)
- PMKSY cold chain component
- MIDH cold storage subsidy
- ULIP (Unified Logistics Interface Platform) API access for MSMEs
- Cross-sector schemes that also apply (detailed in the programmes file): Udyam benefits, PMEGP, PM Mudra Yojana, CGTMSE credit guarantee, Stand-Up India, MSE-CDP (cluster development), RAMP, MSME ZED and Lean certification, MSME Champions, TReDS, Startup India (SISFS seed fund, Fund of Funds, CGSS), RoDTEP, EPCG, Advance Authorisation, Districts as Export Hubs, ODOP (One District One Product)
§7For exports
- Not applicable - service providers to exporters
§8Pros and cons
Merits
- Official cost benchmark now exists (7.97% of GDP) to price services [PIB Nov 2025]
- Government digital rails (ULIP) give MSMEs tracking data [PIB Nov 2025]
Demerits
- Diesel and toll costs swing margins
- Payment delays from shippers
- Small firms pay more per unit for logistics [NCAER via PIB Nov 2025]