Introduction: 

The role of supply chain in Indian organized retail is very significant for on it depends the growth of this sector. The Indian Supply Chain Council have been formed to explore the challenges that a retailer faces and to find possible solutions for India.

The role of supply chain in the organized retail sector in India should be a shelf- centric partnership between the retailer and the manufacture for this will create supply chains that are loss free. This will also give rise to top and bottom line growth. In the organized retail sector in India the presence of fresh produce (vegetables and fruits) is very small. This is so for the nature of supply chain is very fragmented. This shows the important role of supply chain in the organized retail sector in India.

In the organized retail market in India, the role of supply chain is very important for the Indian customer demands at affordable prices a variety of product mix. It is the supply chain that ensures to the customer in all the various offerings that a company decides for its customers, be it cost, service, or the quickness in responding to ever changing tastes of the customer.

The infrastructure in India in terms of road, rail, and air links are not sufficient. And so warehousing plays a major role as an aspect of supply chain operations. To overcome these problems, the Indian retailer is trying to reduce transportation costs and is investing in logistics through partnership or directly. The Indian organized retail sector is growing so the role of supply chain becomes all the more important. It should become all the more responsive and adaptive to customers demand. There is also need for the supply chain to be more cost efficient and collaborative to win the immense competition in this sector.             

The role of supply chain in Indian organized retail has expanded over the years with the boom in this industry. The growth of the Indian retail industry to a large extent depends on supply chain, so efforts must be made by the Indian retailers to maintain it properly.

Supply chain and retail: The means to the end

A retail revolution is happening in the country. For global giants looking at newer markets, India presents exciting opportunities on account of its vast middle-class and a virtually untapped retail industry.

The Indian retail sector has seen unprecedented growth in the last few years. The KPMG report, `Consumer Markets in India: the next big thing has predicted that the organized retail sector is expected to grow at rate higher than GDP growth in the next five years. The AT Kearney's 2006 Global Retail Development Index positions India as a leading destination for retail investment.

The success in this competitive and dynamic sector depends on achieving an efficient logistics and supply chain, which can be provided by professionals, as they combine the best systems and expertise to manage a ready flow of goods and services.

The retail boom promises to give an impetus to a host of allied sectors and the logistics industry, as the backbone of the retail sector, stands to gain the maximum.

In India, the logistics market is mainly thought to mean transportation. But the major elements of logistics cost for industries include transportation, warehousing, inventory management, courier and other valued-added services such as packaging.

The logistics costs account for 13 per cent of GDP. The industry is currently on an upswing and is poised for a growth of 20 per cent in the coming years.

With the expansion of retail, supply chain will take on an increasingly important role. With the end consumer becoming more demanding and time conscious, the need for just-in-time services is increasing. In retail, where competition is intense and stakes are high, customer satisfaction is paramount.