India’s logistics sector reports 10.8% net employment growth in HY2

The logistics sector experienced growth in HY2, with the net employment outlook (NEC) surging to +10.8%, which is over double the 4.5% recorded in HY1. According to the recent TeamLease Employment Outlook Report, this expansion is driven by several factors: increasing e-commerce volumes, the rise of EV-powered last-mile delivery, the expansion of cold-chain infrastructure, and the implementation of the national logistics policy.

The rapid adoption of Electric Vehicles (EVs) for last-mile delivery is also a primary driver, reshaping how goods move through India’s urban centers.

A digital transformation in the workforce
The report, based on a survey of 1,251 employers across 23 industries and 20 cities, indicates that the sector is undergoing a profound structural shift. Companies are moving away from manual yard operations and redundant spoke-and-hub models in favor of digitally enabled roles.

High-demand functions now include network planners, cold-chain supervisors, warehouse management system (WMS) specialists, fleet operators.

Balasubramanian A, Senior Vice President at TeamLease Services, noted that the industry is becoming future-ready as 69% of employers now plan to expand their workforce. "The rise in NEC underscores logistics as a strategic growth engine for India’s economy," he said, adding that policy reforms and the green shift toward EV fleets are opening new, formalized hiring channels.

Key hiring drivers and hubs
The demand for specialised talent is particularly acute in the pharmaceutical and agricultural sectors. Growth in pharma exports and agro-perishables has accelerated the need for supervisors capable of managing compliance-heavy cold-chain operations.

Despite global logistics setbacks, such as the Red Sea disruptions, India’s focus on multimodal hubs and rerouting strategies has kept domestic momentum high.

The survey revealed a clear hierarchy in the types of roles being filled, with a strong emphasis on frontline and technical staff, Blue Collar at 62% of employers interested in hiring, engineering at 41% and back office and admin at 35%.

Geographically, the hiring surge is not limited to traditional metros like Mumbai or Bengaluru. Instead, secondary industrial hubs are emerging as major magnets for logistics talent.

Coimbatore leads with 23% of employers showing hiring intent, followed closely by Nagpur at 22% and Ahmedabad at 21%. This decentralized growth reflects the industry's success in creating a resilient, tech-driven supply chain that spans the entire country.