According to Onno Boots, regional managing director of TNT Southeast Asia & India, the country has huge potential for the transportation industry. Despite the global economic challenges, India exceeded expectations by growing 7.9% last year up to the third quarter.
Boots added that many Indian businesses are not only expanding their footprint domestically, but also internationally.
In 2009, TNT saw impressive growth in India, especially in the hi-tech sector, including the service logistics healthcare sectors. In the hi-tech sector, TNT has been working with several Fortune 500 companies in the management of its after-market business through the establishment of key regional distribution centres that reduce delivery time and costs significantly.
Such distribution centres spread beyond India into Southeast Asia, tapping on to TNT's air network that connects seamlessly to its Asia Road Network - a road transportation system that spans six countries and 125 cities, from Singapore to the south of China.
As the global economy recovers, TNT expects to see stronger growth in these sectors, which will be accelerated by the implementation of a countrywide goods and services tax in April. Current taxes in India consist of national, state and local taxes, which hamper the development of more sophisticated supply chain solutions that will propel domestic and international trade, and subsequently the need for more time and day definite services.
TNT will launch a high-growth strategy this year, which will include enhanced international connectivity of the India network to its China and European network as well as a focused growth plan for its India Domestic Network.
