BCBA Hosts Second Edition of ‘India Logistics Conclave 2026’ in Mumbai
Mumbai:
Port Wings News Network:
The Brihanmumbai Custom Brokers’ Association (BCBA), established in 1939, successfully hosted the second edition of The India Logistics Conclave 2026 on 17 June at The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai, drawing more than 550 delegates, invitees and guests from across the customs, ports, shipping, trade and logistics ecosystem.
Anchored in the theme “One Fraternity, One Vision — Logistics Driving India Towards Viksit Bharat,” the day-long Conclave brought senior government leadership and industry stalwarts onto one platform to chart the road to a developed India by 2047.
Vivek Chaturvedi, Chairman, 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 — received by the fraternity as a source of great strength and inspiration.
The inaugural dais featured an eminent gathering of dignitaries. These included Yogendra Garg, Member (Customs), CBIC; Anupam Prakash, Joint Secretary, Customs; Sushil Mansing Khopde, IPS, Additional Director General of Shipping; Sunil Jain, IRS, Director General of Valuation; Capt. BVJK Sharma, Chief Executive Officer, Navi Mumbai International Airport; Capt. Deepak Tiwari, Managing Director, MSC India and Chairman, CSLA; Om Hisaria, Senior Executive Vice President, Reliance Industries Limited; and Mukesh Oza, Group President & CEO, Samsara Group. They were joined on the dais by BCBA President Sanjeev Harale and Senior Vice President 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 Paresh Thakkar, Senior Vice President, 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.”
Session 1, “India 2030, 2035, 2047 — A Roadmap for Viksit Bharat,” was moderated by Shantanu Bhadkamkar and brought together Yogendra Garg, Member (Customs), CBIC; Shailesh Haribhakti, eminent voice on economy and governance; Capt. Deepak Tiwari of MSC India and CSLA; Dr Prasad Pradhan, senior strategy and resilience advisor; and Rahul Ahluwalia, Director & Co-Founder, Foundation for Economic Development.
Session 2, “Building India’s Digital Spine — Customs & Trade,” was moderated by Dushyant Mulani. The panel comprised Anupam Prakash, Joint Secretary, Customs; Gaurav Dayal, IAS, Chairman, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority; Parvinder Singh, Managing Director, Hans Infomatic; Kunal Maheshwari, Director, Softlink Global; Faisal Khan, Foundation for Economic Development; and Amit Kamat, Chairman, FFFAI.
“Custom Brokers are now playing a nodal role in India’s EXIM Logistics, they are quiet backbone of India’s trade, and forums like this one finally give that contribution the recognition it deserves,” said Dushyant Mulani, Immediate Past President, BCBA. “Keeping National interest of being Globally Competitive it is imperative that government and trade sit at the same table as partners to conceptualise 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,” was moderated by Tej Contractor and featured Dr Pritam Banerjee of the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade; Sachin Vijan, Vanguard Logistics Services; Fardeen Malbarwalla, Galaxy Freight; S. Mahesh Mahalingam, Head — EXIM, Larsen & Toubro; and Dr Rumki Majumdar, Director & Economist, Deloitte India.
Session 4, “Policy and Infrastructure — Building India’s Futuristic Logistics Ecosystem,” was moderated by Mihir Parekh of the Foundation for Economic Development, who served as moderator cum panellist. The session brought together Unmesh Sharad Wagh, IRS, Commissioner General, JNCH; Ravish Kumar Singh, IRTS, Deputy Chairman, JNPA; Sagar Rameshrao Kadu, Director (Logistics Division), DPIIT; Dr Rekha Raikar Kumar, Senior Advisor, Land Port Authority of India; and Rajiv Chohan, Aegis Vopak Group.
The Valedictory Session, themed “Logisticians — Building a Better India,” offered an inspiring close. It was led by Dhimant Parekh, Founder & CEO of The Better India— the world’s largest positive-impact storytelling platform — and S. Ramakrishna, Past Chairman of FFFAI, who 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 Sanjeev Harale, President, 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.”
As the second edition closed, the BCBA expressed deep appreciation to every delegate, dignitary, speaker, moderator and partner who made the day a success. The Association reaffirmed its commitment to serving as a unifying voice for the fraternity and advancing the national conversation on India’s logistics future.
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