A logistics firm under the DHL group, Blue Dart which currently handles about 8 per cent of e-commerce shipments in India, aims to increase its share to 25 per cent within the next five years Pablo Ciano, Global CEO, DHL E-commerce, says, the company is investing in infrastructure, technology, and capacity expansion to achieve this ambitious goal.
Independent logistics providers, including Blue Dart, currently manage around 6 million e-commerce shipments daily across India, while in-house operators like Amazon handle approximately 8 million shipments per day.
The company inaugurated a new integrated facility in Bijwasan, Delhi, capable of processing 200,000 e-commerce shipments daily. Ciano describes this as a ‘mid-level’ facility, noting that a larger ‘main hub’ for surface transport in northern India will open in July. This hub will handle ground shipments exclusively and will be 2.5 times the size of the Bijwasan facility, reflecting Blue Dart’s strategy to expand capacity nationwide.
In addition to infrastructure, Blue Dart is making significant investments in customer-facing technology.
Ciano also announced plans to modernize Blue Dart’s air fleet. The company operates eight aircraft, including six B757s and two B737s. Over the next three to five years, the capacity of the B757 planes will be increased by 50 per cent, bringing them on par with the B737s, which currently handle up to 45,000 tons annually.
To further boost its market presence, Blue Dart will launch an ‘export-deferred cross-border product’ service within the next 12 months. This service will allow e-commerce exporters to defer export duty payments for up to 60 days, providing a cost-effective solution for global trade.
