Dear Friends and Members,
The fraternity of the Customs Brokers is the closest and the most trusted partner of both the Customs
Departments and the commercial stakeholders in the international trade, particularly the Importers and
the Exporters for the Regulatory Compliance and Trade Facilitation. We, the Customs Brokers,
play a dual role of an optimiser and force multiplier; we're in addition, the hub of the Information Highway,
and are at the centre of the web of the management of the logistics networks.
The Customs Brokers have always evolved with the time, sometimes ahead of the times.
We play a small but critical role in building and strengthening the Global Supply Chains.
Customs Brokers, all over the world are proud of their occupation and the services they render
to the International Exim community. Almost 95% of the Exim trade in the country is handled using
services of the Customs Broker. This is particularly noteworthy as the use of Customs Broker is optional.
The imports and exports are free to handle their consignments directly with the customers.
What is even more important is that even in the area of E-governance, Customs Broker continues to play a critical role.
Some of the issues the industry thought leaders are discussing are:
- Have we redefined what's excellence? and what's value addition? Or are we waiting for the customer
to redefine it for us? Or the new logistics player, emerging with disruptive technology or disruptive business
model will define and set standards for the industry.
- Will there be a change in the customer profile? Who will be the New Customers? Their expectations?
And who will be our new challengers?
- How are we equipping ourselves to deal with new and emerging technologies?
What is our response to the new digital era? Opportunities for the Industry collaboration in this segment?
- Whether growth in e-commerce will create new opportunities for the customs brokers? Whether the Single
Window and Globally Connected Customs Projects will lead to disintermediation or will redefine the role of
a Customs Broker in a manner that makes the profession more relevant?
Pune is the capital of the engineering industry and the automobile industry in India.
Since it is also a renowned centre of learning and education in the country professional standards in Pune are very high.
Similarly, the compliance standards in Pune have always been very high. Pune Customs Brokers, therefore,
practice the highest standard of professionalism in the country embrassing the modernity and latest technology.
My company being a Founder Member of the Pune Customs House Agents Association,
it was my wish and choice that I should represent the Association in FFFAI as an Executive Committee Member.
I am honoured that the Association posed faith in me and nominated to FFFAI for 5 consecutive terms of FFFAI (2011-13),
soon after which I could become the Managing Director of the International Federation of
Customs Brokers Association (IFCBA) and thereafter Chairman of IFCBA for two terms.
I shall ever be grateful to my parent Association PCBA, thereafter Pune Customs House Brokers Association continued
to serve FFFAI in particular and Customs Brokers fraternity in general by nominating a President,
Mr Vinod Sharma who served the federation as the Treasurer. The Pune Association had the privilege of hosting FFFAI
Executive Committee meeting in Pune, the sincere efforts of Managing Committee Members of the Association under the leadership of
Capt. Samarth resulted in a record attendance of Executive Committee Members from all round the country.
The immaculate arrangements enabled us to have record attendance and a very productive meeting, in conjunction with the Managing
Committee meeting, the Pune Association also had the proud privilege of hosting the Annual General Meeting.
Social events in conjunction were organised by the Pune Association in a very meaningful manner.
The meeting was attended by the senior-most Customs Officials. We also demonstrated our social commitment by honouring the
eminent speaker personalities and decorated Armed Personnel. The meeting was hugely appreciated by the Executive Committee Members,
and it set the bar for hosting the Executive Committee meeting high, due to the excellent attendance the Executive Committee could
take several important decisions. The meeting was made more meaningful and purposeful by organising Knowledge Session of leading consultancy
firms and eminent entrepreneurs.
Pune is one of the biggest catchment areas of cargo for the catchment area of cargo for the Nhava Sheva Port and Mumbai Port.
The proximity of Pune to these Ports is a big advantage and handicap for the Customs Brokers in Mumbai.
It is only due to superior service and enterprising spirit of the Customs Brokers that has made the Customs clearance in Pune viable and successful.
The importers and exporters all around the world like to have their Logistics Service Providers viz.
The Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders as a next-door neighbour. Hence the importance of this activity in Pune will only increase with time.
This is evident from the fact that the leading International Port, the Port of Antwerp and leading shipping newspaper and fund
organisers also hold special events in Pune. They are also impressed by the participation and the level of professionalism.
My vision for the Logistics professionals in Pune particularly Pune Customs Brokers Association is to lead the industry by high standards
of professionalism and thought leadership. We are on the eve of I4.0 that is the so-called 4th Industrial Revolution led
by the Digitization of Commerce. Like all other 3 Industrial Revolutions, I4.0 will be disruptive,
it will be as disruptive as the First Industrial Revolution.
The First Industrial Revolution used water and steam power to mechanize production.
The Second used electric power to create mass production. The Third used electronics and information technology to automate production.
The Fourth Industrial Revolution is still in its nascent state. But with the swift pace of change and disruption to business and society,
the time to join in is now.
I4.0 will be disruptive, and disruption is the leveller. As the old knowledge has limited utility, it brings everyone back to the square-one; hence,
disruptive forces create equal opportunity for all. The so-called, ‘haves’ have the desire to protect what they have,
due to which they are compelled to adopt compromised strategies; whereas the so-called ‘have-nots’,
not having anything to lose can readily embrace high risk, high growth strategies in uncertain times.
The new Digital challengers will confront the leadership positions of the organisations and even the nations.
The I4.0, i.e. the Fourth Industrial Revolution, will have many unexpected changes in the way businesses are conducted:
- 1. The behavioural pattern of the customer is changing and who is the customer is changing.
- a. What customer buys is changing and how he buys is changing.
- b. It is said that for today’s generation, the buying is experiential rather than physical.
- 2. Robotic process automation and other digital technologies for automation will mean
fewer people will be required to work, particularly for the repetitive nature of work.
- a. The machine learning and artificial intelligence, on the one hand,
will give greater insight to the decision-makers. Superior Planning and better
Supply Chain Management will lead to grander customer experience, and it will be achieved by hiring fewer talented people.
- b. Hence the challenges of the global and the national economy are made complicated by the challenges of newer technologies.
- c. The diminishing role and the health of financial institutions all around the world are also a matter of concern.
Disintermediation will be a severe challenge for many Service Providers, particularly the Logistics Service Providers.
- 3. A relatively new thing the entrepreneurs and CEOs have to grasp is the newer business models and financial models.
- a. The parameters for success in business are changing to valuations based, a paradigm change from the bottom line
or even top line based approach. Nobody knows if this trend is a bubble (like the dot com bubble burst) or it will be a
long term trend or even a newer reality for the valuation of businesses, only the time will tell.
- b. Many new models render service free of cost and earn money from the data they acquire.
It is not easy to adjust to this model, and it requires very different abilities to be successful with such models.
Pune has a unique advantage of being a Centre of Learning, represents Engineering, Automobile and Manufacturing sector
in general, in addition, Pune has a very strong Presence of I.T. industry. Riding on the advantage of the location and
local expertise, Pune Association has the greatest potential of having thought leaders with a global impact.
Disruptive innovators and entrepreneurs change their industry with unique insight and creativity.
Though leadership entails a vision and insight of excellence and understanding of customer needs (for creation of new needs),
something which others do not see. The power of thought leadership positively impact different generations and raise other
visionaries and thought leaders. Pune is on the cusp of the Start -Up Revolution, a news report says, on an upper trajectory.
In the last decade, we spoke Aspirant India; we now see the emergence of Assertive India. You have to dream before your
dreams can come true. It is better to have dreamed and not made it real than not have dreamed at all. India still seems
to be in the sweet spot; compared to the rest of the world, we still have significant upside & have more opportunities.
We are in the right place at the right time. Now is the time, for the entrepreneurs and the professionals,
including in the Customs Brokers, to think big and invest big in the future.
"GO FLY HIGH”
