UPS is moving into semi-urban and rural districts across India through a last-mile logistics and delivery partnership with the start-up Connect India network to extend its services beyond major cities and urban centres in the fast-growing economy.
Connect India is now a UPS Authorized Shipping Outlet (ASO) through the agreement that will connect customers in semi-urban and rural regions in India with the rest of world. The service links UPS’s global network with Connect India’s expanding last-mile logistics and delivery capabilities, which currently cover 50 cities, 650 district towns and 8000 small towns.
Customers in remote locations will be able to book international shipments through Connect India Centers which will, in turn, make use of UPS’s global shipping services. The Connect India Centers will provide customers with easy access to a full range of international shipping options, including packaging and labelling. The centres will also accept prepaid, drop-off packages processed online at ups.com.
UPS, which has been present in India since 1988, said this service expansion is part of its long-term commitment to the country and its customers and will support market growth by helping clients connect even faster to all global markets. Households, SMEs, entrepreneurs and artisans throughout India will benefit by using UPS’s global reach with services to more than 220 countries and territories, including every address in North America and Europe.
“The growing cross-border market in India and the renewed focus on boosting exports of indigenous products presents an opportunity to connect rural communities direct to an international delivery network,” said Mark Martyn-Fisher, Managing Director of UPS India. “Our alliance with Connect India is invaluable in opening new markets for the budding entrepreneur and SME company networks that need a reliable, convenient logistics system in order to survive and flourish.”
Connect India was formed to bridge urban and rural India as well as rural India to the world. The company aims to link communities, producers and customers across the length and breadth of the country.
L. R. Sridhar, Founder and CEO of Connect India said: “We aim to become the drop-box for all domestic, international and banking needs in India. This will entail, first and foremost, evaluating possible business models and riding the wave of mobile internet connectivity to create a relevant marketplace platform for rural India. Even as we explore new partnerships to improve our last-mile distribution capabilities, being UPS’s Authorized Shipping Outlet will open up a whole new international market for our customers.”
Connect India currently operates through a network of Common Service Centers through Common Services Centers e-Governance Services India Ltd (CSC e SPV) and the entrepreneur-run Connect India Centers. Together they form a last-mile delivery network covering more than 50 cities, 650 district towns and 8000 small towns across the country.
The company’s vision is to establish 50,000 Last Mile Distribution (LMD) points in 25,000 postal pin codes over the next three years. Earlier this year it started offering rural deliveries for Amazon and aims to win other e-commerce clients.
L. R. Sridhar has worked in the Indian logistics sector for about 35 years, including at express operators such as Skypak, Overnite Express and the former TNT joint venture Corporate Couriers. The company’s non-executive chairman is Ram Menen, the retired former long-serving head of ex-Emirates Skycargo.
