| 42 | and we have a firm grip on the key deliverables. Most global PE institutions are entering India with a partnership with a local player. Our Indian-ness is our edge and with that, we have been able to garner the attention of some marquee global investors in building a robust set of industrial and warehousing assets. India is on the path to becoming a $5 trillion economy in a matter of years. How do you plan to take advantage of this growth opportunity? The $5 trillion projection is a huge morale booster for all businesses. At the same time, it presents a challenge to grow rapidly in the right way and with the right approach. We look at this particular projection with optimism and level-headedness. We have a long-term strategy in place to take advantage of this opportunity. As a pan-India operator, we are earmarking strategic land parcels keeping in mind the rising demand. Our research team is constantly vetting projects with future potential and sound financials. We have also onboarded some global investors to ride along this momentous phase. The global economy faces the prospect of an economic recession and a sharp rise in credit costs this year. How are you preparing your company to meet this challenge? I would say that the Indian economy is largely insular from the global recession owing to robust domestic demand. It was able to withstand the 2008 economic crisis and it will come out unscathed during this downturn as well. However, we are keeping a tab on the changing global scenario. We are well prepared as all our ongoing projects are fully backed by occupiers as well as investors. Sectors like e-commerce and third-party logistics (3PL) are active as ever and are looking for warehouses in key Indian cities. At the same time, we are also witnessing the rise of Tier II & Tier III towns, making India a key market in the global logistics realm. SPECIAL FEATURE: SAMEERAWAREHOUSTER The growth of the manufacturing sector and increased private and foreign investments have led to a rise in warehousing demand in India “Our Indian-ness gives us the edge in attracting marquee global investors” Tell us about Sameera Warehouster and how are you leveraging the rapid growth of the Indian economy to grow your company? Sameera Warehouster is a Chennai-headquartered diversified conglomerate that offers a suite of services within the Industrial and Warehousing space. We deliver big ticket-size industrial and logistics parks with Grade-A warehouses as well as smaller greenfield warehouses. Our seasoned investment team has delivered high IRR consistently to its limited partners. We offer land aggregation for logistics parks on a pan-India basis, development management, leasing and marketing and end-to-end asset management within the Industrial and Logistics Space. With India being one of the fastest-growing economies despite the global slowdown, SameeraWarehouster is wellplaced to leverage the macro tailwinds. Our strategicallylocated warehouses across India solve the needs of large as well as medium and small companies. We are set to deliver 10 million sq ft of Grade-A warehousing facilities by 2026. A land bank of over 280 acres has been registered for the purpose. This has the development potential of 7.5 million sq ft. Efforts are also on to acquire more strategic land parcels. Howdoes India’s growthenable you togaina competitive edge over your peers in the global market? India is a huge market and is growing rapidly. The demand and opportunities within the Industrial and Logistics sector here are unprecedented. We have an innate advantage because we understand the Indian market well Sandeep Chadha Founder and CEO, Sameera Warehouster | 43 | What more can the government and regulators do to make India the next global hub for logistics, manufacturing, and sourcing? The Government is going all out to develop this sector at par with global standards. Various proactive and conducive business initiatives have helped the sector immensely. Over theyears, thewarehousing industry in Indiahas evolved from mere storage space to highly sophisticatedwarehousing and logistics systems. Backed by the continuous expansion in the manufacturing sector and increased private and foreign investments, warehousing demand in India is on the rise. India’s logistics costs, which at present are 13-14% of the nation’s GDP, will be brought down to 9% by the end of 2024 aided by India’s growing infrastructure in the logistics sector. It has been made possible by the government’s industry-friendly policies. How are you leveraging India’s global leadership in IT services to become a globally competitive firm in your industry? Going forward, warehousing is going to be led by technology and it helps to have a strong local IT industry. There have been some stellar start-ups in India’s logistics sector and they are bringing down costs while improving efficiency and overall throughput. Be it IoT, Automation, Blockchain, or Robotics, we have sound local IT enterprises that are galvanizing India’s logistics space and will continue to do so. Climate change is the biggest threat to the planet right now and most economies and firms are now aiming for net-zero emissions. What’s your company’s timeline for net zero? ESG (Environment, Social & Governance) is a priority for us. Along with business profitability, we are increasingly focusing on environmental and social issues. The industrial sector accounts for 23% of global carbon emissions, as per the United States Environmental Protection Agency. We, at Sameera Warehouster, are constantly assessing the carbon footprint associated with the logistics sector. To minimize the carbon footprint, we are increasingly looking for warehouses near the key markets. We use sustainable construction materials and are adopting technology for minimized emissions. All our facilities have solar power panels. And we ensure wastewater treatment and rainwater harvesting in all our projects. Being aware of our responsibility, we are acting for a safer and more sustainable environment. •
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