New Delhi, May 29 -- India's next wave of logistics competitiveness will hinge on scaling Multimodal Logistics Parks (MMLPs) to handle a massive freight surge and accelerate the shift from road to rail, according to a report by CII -Knight Frank India. With freight movement projected to reach 28 billion tonnes by 2047, the report says India would need about 215 next-generation MMLPs to process nearly 3,162 MMT of cargo annually if these parks are to handle even 30% of the country's rail freight.

The report suggests that currently, India's operational MMLP network handles just 129 MMT annually, or 2% of total freight movement, indicating ample headroom for expansion. The report noted that long-term success depends on building larger-forma...