A move aimed at strengthening India’s logistics backbone and improving global trade access has taken shape with Dubai-based DP World signing an agreement with the Madhya Pradesh government to develop a major logistics hub at Powarkheda.
The agreement was exchanged during the World Economic Forum in Davos in the presence of DP World Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav.
The Powarkheda Hub will be developed as a rail-centric inland gateway, directly connecting central India to Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPA) in Mumbai. The project is expected to improve access to international markets by enabling faster and more reliable containerised trade for districts such as Dhar, Indore, and Raisen, which lie along key central rail corridors.
According to DP World, the hub will support growth across multiple sectors, including pharmaceuticals, textiles, aluminium, and agri-commodities, by improving supply chain efficiency and export connectivity.
Spread across 88.3 acres, the Powarkheda Hub will offer containerised rail services to JNPA along with domestic container rail connectivity to major consumption centres across India. The facility will also include warehousing and cold storage infrastructure to support agricultural and industrial supply chains.
“The DP World Powarkheda Hub is designed to be an inland gateway that brings producers and manufacturers in central India closer to global markets. By integrating rail connectivity, warehousing, cold chain and cargo management in one location, we will help farmers, MSMEs and large industries reduce logistics costs, improve reliability, and compete more strongly in global trade corridors,” Sulayem said.
DP World stated that the new hub is expected to reduce transit time to JNPA by 30–40% compared to road transport. The shift towards rail is also projected to improve reliability, lower carbon emissions, and ease road congestion.
The project highlights DP World’s focus on building integrated logistics infrastructure in India while supporting the country’s broader push for efficient, sustainable, and export-oriented supply chains.
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