Rising Logistics Demand Expected to create 10 Million Jobs in India by 2027 – TeamLease

National, 23rd September 2023: Propelled by recent industry reforms including the government’s Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, robust production figures encompassing both domestic and export activities, as well as changing consumption patterns influenced by rising disposable incomes, decreasing inflation rates, innovative business models such as 3PL (Third-Party Logistics) and surging rural demand; India’s logistics industry is poised for rapid growth in the coming years. According to one of the leading staffing companies, TeamLease Services, the positive momentum in the sector is expected to bring a significant employment synergy in the ecosystem. The sector, which is growing at a 12% CAGR, is expected to add 10 million jobs by 2027. The transition from the unorganised to the organised sector adds to the momentum, acting as a further catalyst for industry expansion.

The increased demand is not only reshaping the logistics industry, but it is also opening up a slew of new job opportunities. Diverse job profiles in the industry are seeing a significant increase in demand. Supply Chain Managers are in charge of optimising the overall flow of goods, Logistics Specialists are in charge of meticulously handling the planning and organisation of goods, Distribution Managers are in charge of ensuring the timely delivery of products to customers, and Warehousing Managers are in charge of adeptly overseeing storage operations. This surge in demand reflects the dynamic evolution of the logistics sector, which offers a wide range of roles to meet the industry’s growing demands.

Speaking about the increasing demand, Mr. Balasubramanian A, Vice President & Business Head, TeamLease Services, said, “As India’s logistics sector continues to expand, it is critical to understand the forces driving this remarkable transformation. We are witnessing the emergence of a dynamic industry that is poised to create approximately 10 million new job opportunities over the next five years, owing to a significant increase in both production and consumption. This increase in output has increased demand for logistics services such as transportation, warehousing, and distribution. Furthermore, shifting economic dynamics such as rising disposable incomes, lower inflation rates, and rising rural demand have sparked a nationwide consumption boom.”

The increased job creation in the logistics sector is expected to result in substantial changes in the industry’s skill requirements. As logistics hubs become cutting-edge, world-class facilities, there is an increasing reliance on automation, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Machine Learning (ML) for sophisticated demand forecasting and supply chain planning. “This transformative trend reduces reliance on unskilled labour while emphasising the critical need for a highly skilled workforce skilled in technology. Furthermore, this integration of technology and automation is expected to result in significant increases in workforce productivity. As a result, even as the flow of goods increases, the expansion of the workforce will be proportionally limited. This highlights the critical importance of having a larger but technologically adept workforce” added Mr Balasubramanian.

Apart from the usual suspects which are the major metropolitan cities that lead the pack in terms of job creation, cities such as Indore, Guwahati, Nagpur, Jaipur, Vadodara and Lucknow are also expected to grow at an even faster rate and join the league of major hubs around metros

According to industry reports, India’s impressive rise to 38th place out of 139 countries on the Logistics Performance Index demonstrates the country’s growing prominence in the global logistics landscape. The achievement is consistent with India’s enormous economic potential, with projections indicating that the country will reach a staggering USD 26 trillion by FY 2048. This confluence of factors heralds a new era of dynamic growth and transformation in India’s logistics industry, emphasising the industry’s critical role in the country’s thriving economy.