UPS has made an investment to obtain full ownership of its express services unit in India.

According to UPS, it previously held a majority position in the express services joint venture, which exclusively served the company’s international express small package shipping business in India.

The move to obtain full ownership, along with planned network upgrades, is part of the company’s commitment to invest strategically in high-growth international markets and countries with expanding economies.

“The World Bank tells us that the global economy will expand by US$6.5 trillion between 2017 and 2019,” said Rami Suleiman, president for the Indian subcontinent, Middle East and Africa at UPS. “India will be the third-highest growth country with its gross domestic product expected to account for 8.6% of this expansion. In recent years, India has emerged as a key player in the shipping and logistics sector and UPS is poised to play a leading role in supporting international trade and supply chain related needs. Full ownership in our international small package express business in India will position UPS for its next phases of expansion in India and the region.”

Over the past several years, UPS has invested heavily in building its air freight services. The company has acquired new capabilities, technology and expertise and has implemented new performance standards to increase its overall operational capacity.

UPS recently inaugurated a facility in Hyderabad to provide integrated services for small package, supply chain solutions and contract logistics, offering greater efficiency and competitiveness to businesses. The company also enhanced its network with the opening in April 2018 of another integrated logistics facility in Ahmedabad, from which customers are offered a 48-hour delivery timeline to markets in the US and Europe.

“Logistics plays an increasingly important role for businesses seeking competitive advantages through expanded trade across borders,” said Rachid Fergati, managing director of the Indian subcontinent at UPS. “Our supply chain management expertise helps customers simplify doing business, speed adoption of technology and facilitate rapid emergence of specialized sectors such as industrial manufacturing, high-tech, pharmaceutical manufacturing and other allied industry segments. This investment is a catalyst for growth and will support further expansions. With full ownership, we consolidate our position after 30 years of existence in India. We are well-positioned at the intersection of connectivity, technology and efficiency to help businesses realize their growth potential.”