New Delhi, 20 September(HS): Marking a decade of the transformative Make in India initiative, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, today launched a series of groundbreaking initiatives to modernize India’s logistics ecosystem, promote manufacturing competitiveness, and celebrate the nation’s industrial progress.
In a pivotal move, Goyal introduced the Integrated State and City Logistics Plans under the Strengthening Multimodal and Integrated Logistics Ecosystem (SMILE) programme, developed in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Commencing with pilot projects in eight cities across eight states, the plans aim to rigorously assess current logistics infrastructure, identify inefficiencies, and map out strategies to reduce costs and increase supply chain resilience nationwide. Anchored by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), this programmatic approach complements existing frameworks like the National Logistics Policy and the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan, underscoring the government’s commitment to building a seamless and globally competitive logistics network.
Further reinforcing the Make in India vision,Goyal unveiled a commemorative coin celebrating ten years of the initiative, which has significantly boosted India’s manufacturing footprint, innovation capacity, and foreign direct investment. Since its launch in 2014, the initiative has attracted USD 667 billion in FDI, propelled India’s leap in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business rankings, and catalyzed a surge in domestic exports to USD 437.42 billion in 2024-25. The country’s rise as the world’s second-largest smartphone manufacturer and advancements in defence, pharmaceuticals, and semiconductor manufacturing exemplify the initiative’s broad industrial impact.
In addition, the Minister released the Guidebook on Mapping of Harmonized System of Nomenclature (HSN) Codes, encompassing 12,167 codes aligned with 31 ministries, to streamline policymaking and elevate trade negotiations’ effectiveness. This mapping initiative supports domain expertise-driven sector growth, reduces compliance complexities, and strengthens India’s global trade positioning.
Recognizing the critical role of logistics in manufacturing competitiveness, Shri Goyal also launched LEADS 2025 (Logistics Ease Across Different States), a comprehensive benchmark survey measuring logistics performance across states and union territories. This edition introduces innovative corridor-based assessments and API-enabled road speed evaluations to sharpen data-driven insights for infrastructural improvements.
Together, these initiatives mark a decisive stride toward a modern, cost-efficient, and sustainable logistics infrastructure, reinforcing India’s stature as a resilient and self-reliant economy ready for future global challenges.
Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
