The Brihanmumbai Custom Brokers' Association (BCBA), established in 1939, successfully hosted the second edition of The India Logistics Conclave 2026 at The Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai, drawing over 550 delegates from the customs, ports, shipping, trade, and logistics ecosystem. The event, themed "One Fraternity, One Vision: Logistics Driving India Towards Viksit Bharat," brought together senior government leaders and industry stalwarts to discuss the roadmap for a developed India by 2047.
Inaugural Session Highlights
The proceedings began at 9:45 a.m. with the ceremonial inauguration of the CBIC Pavilion, followed by the Inaugural Session. Shri Vivek Chaturvedi, Chairman of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC), delivered the welcome address live online, sharing the Board's vision for a modern, trust-based, and technology-led customs administration, which was received as a source of great strength and inspiration by the fraternity.
The inaugural dais featured an eminent gathering of dignitaries, including Shri Yogendra Garg, Member (Customs), CBIC; Shri Anupam Prakash, Joint Secretary, Customs; Shri Sushil Mansing Khopde, IPS, Additional Director General of Shipping; Shri Sunil Jain, IRS, Director General of Valuation; Capt. BVJK Sharma, CEO of Navi Mumbai International Airport; Capt. Deepak Tiwari, Managing Director of MSC India and Chairman of CSLA; Shri Om Hisaria, Senior Executive Vice President of Reliance Industries Limited; and Mr Mukesh Oza, Group President & CEO of Samsara Group. They were joined by BCBA President Mr Sanjeev Harale and Senior Vice President Mr Paresh Thakkar.
"To see this fraternity stand shoulder to shoulder with the highest offices of government and industry, under one roof and one vision, has been deeply humbling," said Mr Paresh Thakkar, Senior Vice President of BCBA. "What we have built over two editions is not merely an event, but a platform where the customs broker's voice is heard, respected, and woven into the national agenda. That is the legacy we intend to carry forward."
Business Sessions: Intellectual Core of the Conclave
The Conclave featured four business sessions, each a moderated plenary of national stature.
Session 1: India 2030, 2035, 2047 — A Roadmap for Viksit Bharat
Moderated by Mr Shantanu Bhadkamkar, this session brought together Shri Yogendra Garg, Member (Customs), CBIC; Mr Shailesh Haribhakti, an eminent voice on economy and governance; Capt. Deepak Tiwari of MSC India and CSLA; Dr Prasad Pradhan, a senior strategy and resilience advisor; and Mr Rahul Ahluwalia, Director & Co-Founder of the Foundation for Economic Development.
Session 2: Building India's Digital Spine — Customs & Trade
Moderated by Mr Dushyant Mulani, this panel comprised Shri Anupam Prakash, Joint Secretary, Customs; Shri Gaurav Dayal, IAS, Chairman of Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority; Shri Parvinder Singh, Managing Director of Hans Infomatic; Mr Kunal Maheshwari, Director of Softlink Global; Mr Faisal Khan of the Foundation for Economic Development; and Mr Amit Kamat, Chairman of FFFAI.
"Custom Brokers are now playing a nodal role in India's EXIM Logistics; they are the quiet backbone of India's trade, and forums like this one finally give that contribution the recognition it deserves," said Mr Dushyant Mulani, Immediate Past President of BCBA. "Keeping national interest of being globally competitive, it is imperative that government and trade sit at the same table as partners to conceptualize further trade facilitation measures to ensure the entire ecosystem moves faster — and that partnership is the real achievement of this Conclave."
Session 3: Geopolitics and the New Geometry of Trade
Moderated by Mr Tej Contractor, this session featured Dr Pritam Banerjee of the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade; Mr Sachin Vijan of Vanguard Logistics Services; Mr Fardeen Malbarwalla of Galaxy Freight; Mr S. Mahesh Mahalingam, Head of EXIM at Larsen & Toubro; and Dr Rumki Majumdar, Director & Economist at Deloitte India.
Session 4: Policy and Infrastructure — Building India's Futuristic Logistics Ecosystem
Moderated by Mr Mihir Parekh of the Foundation for Economic Development, who also served as a panelist, this session brought together Shri Unmesh Sharad Wagh, IRS, Commissioner General of JNCH; Shri Ravish Kumar Singh, IRTS, Deputy Chairman of JNPA; Shri Sagar Rameshrao Kadu, Director (Logistics Division) of DPIIT; Dr Rekha Raikar Kumar, Senior Advisor at the Land Port Authority of India; and Mr Rajiv Chohan of Aegis Vopak Group.
Valedictory Session: Logisticians — Building a Better India
The Valedictory Session offered an inspiring close, led by Mr Dhimant Parekh, Founder & CEO of The Better India, and Mr S. Ramakrishna, Past Chairman of FFFAI. They reflected on conviction, reinvention, and the logistician's role in nation building.
"This Conclave reaffirmed that the customs broker and freight forwarder are not mere facilitators, but true partners in India's growth story," said Mr Sanjeev Harale, President of BCBA. "The participation of the highest echelons of government and industry, and the warmth of over 550 delegates, is a powerful testament to the strength of our fraternity and our shared resolve to drive India towards Viksit Bharat."
Sponsors and Partners
The Conclave was made possible by the generous support of its partners. BCBA extends profound gratitude to the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (Platinum Sponsor); Navi Mumbai International Airport and MPRS Shipping (Diamond Sponsors); Softlink Global Private Limited (Gold Sponsor); and Reliance Industries Limited (Silver Sponsor). The Association also acknowledges Parekh Global (Lunch Sponsor); Conex CFS, Polaris CFS, and Globicon CFS (Delegate Kit Sponsors); Galaxy Freight (Seat Sponsor); Mumbai Cargo Service Center (Lanyard Sponsor); Unifo (Hi-Tea Sponsor); and DBS Bank (Banking Partner). BCBA further thanks its Bronze and Associate Sponsors, Media Partners, and supporting organizations for their collective faith despite a challenging global environment.
About BCBA
The BCBA, established in 1939, is one of India's oldest and most respected representative bodies for customs brokers, serving as a unifying voice for the customs, trade, and logistics fraternity.
