Under PM Gati Shakti, India has aggressively pushed to improve logistical infrastructure, and these efforts have slowly expanded to projects abroad. While the Centre has accelerated other massive international projects like the 7,200 km International North South Transport Corridor connecting India with Russia and Iran as well as other countries and the 1,400 km India-Myanmar Bridge as a result of the upcoming general elections scheduled for next year, all ministries involved in infrastructure development have been asked to expedite the execution of the ongoing projects within the country and adhere to projected timelines.

As India aims to touch the $5 trillion economy, positioning itself as the next factory of the world, completion of these international projects will be critical.

Recently, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said that work on the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway is 70 per cent complete.

Though there have been delays in the execution of these projects, work has now picked up with regular monitoring by top authorities. The trilateral highway is expected to be finally extended to Da Nang in Vietnam and Laos.

Amid China’s Belt and Road Initiative, these infrastructure projects will provide India a vantage point in terms of connectivity.

Last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the National Logistics Policy to address issues hindering the transport sector and thereby boosting economic activities by reducing costs.

The World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index has placed India in 38th position out of 139 countries in logistics infrastructure this year. While this is an improvement of six notches compared to India’s previous ranking, China and South Africa among the BRICS nations are ahead of New Delhi.

“Monitoring of the projects is an ongoing exercise but now it would be more intense, the centre does not want any unnecessary delay in execution,” an insider told India Narrative.

Gadkari added that India has surpassed China to become the second-largest nation in the world with the largest road network, measuring 63,72,613 km. With 68,03,479 kilometres, the US continues to be in first place. The length of India’s road network in 2015 was 54,000 km.

A number of global corporations are also attentively observing the development of the infrastructure plan.

“As PM Modi wants companies to make in India for the world, these infrastructure projects would very crucial as movement of goods will then become easier, seamless, and cost-effective..one of the major drawbacks for India has been poor infrastructure but that is now changing very fast,” the chief executive of a Japanese company that is planning to expand in India told India Narrative.