New Delhi, June 6 -- South Asia's seaports form the circulatory system of one of the world's fastest-growing economic regions. India alone routes more than 95 percent of its international trade volume through maritime channels, yet logistics costs hover near 13 to 14 percent of GDP - nearly double the OECD average - while vessel turnaround times remain elevated and hinterland bottlenecks regularly nullify efficiency won at the terminal gate. Rapid port expansion has exposed a deeper structural gap: not a shortage of berths, but a shortage of operational intelligence.

Converting South Asia's natural geographic advantage into sustained trade competitiveness now demands a decisive shift from basic digitisation to AI-driven decision-making a...