Why India is becoming central to Flexport’s next growth phase

“We’re about 3,000 years late to India.”

With that wry admission, Ryan Petersen, Founder and CEO of Flexport, underscored how long it took the US-based logistics tech platform to enter one of the world’s fastest-growing trade markets. For years, Flexport built deep roots in China and later Southeast Asia. India, Petersen concedes, came much later.

That delay, however, is now evolving into a deliberate strategy. Flexport’s expansion into India is not a gamble. It is a direct response to customers diversifying supply chains away from China. As global manufacturing and sourcing shift, India has moved from a peripheral market to a central pillar of Flexport’s next phase of growth.

This shift, Petersen suggests, is also about long-term returns. Drawing from customer conversations, he notes that China and India offer very different investment trajectories. China, often described as a fast-rising “dragon”, delivered rapid growth and scale for decades. India, by contrast, is more akin to a slow-moving elephant. Growth may appear gradual, but it is steady and persistent. Petersen recalls a customer remarking that while the dragon may need to pause or recalibrate, the elephant keeps moving forward, building momentum over time. For Flexport’s customers, this distinction is becoming increasingly relevant as they weigh resilience and sustained returns against short-term speed.

Unlike many other Asian economies where Flexport operates, India presents a very different trade structure. Petersen points out that India has a more balanced mix of imports and exports, unlike export-heavy markets such as China or Vietnam. This two-way flow is relatively new for Flexport and requires changes in how the company designs workflows, manages compliance and supports customers. Instead of focusing mainly on outbound cargo, Flexport must help Indian customers navigate both inbound and outbound trade, adding complexity to operations.

Flexport’s India strategy is closely tied to its technology and engineering efforts. Petersen says the company has around 75 engineers based in Bengaluru, a team that was set up about three years ago. This group is not limited to support functions but plays an active role in building tools for Flexport’s global platform. The Bengaluru team is also developing products suited to Indian market requirements and contributing to Flexport’s wider work in data and artificial intelligence, positioning India as a product and engineering hub within the organisation.

Customs and tariffs are another area where Flexport sees a clear opportunity in India. Petersen notes that many Indian exporters and importers focus on selling goods and often struggle with tariff interpretation, documentation and regulatory changes. Flexport combines customs expertise with in-house engineering to help customers manage these challenges. Tools such as tariff simulators allow shippers to calculate duties more accurately, while human experts provide guidance through webinars and direct engagement. Petersen describes this approach as “marketing as education”, rather than traditional promotion.

India is actually quite different from a lot of Asia because it’s not just an export story. There’s a real balance between imports and exports, and that’s new for us.
Ryan Petersen, Flexport

Inland logistics is also an important focus for Flexport in India. Petersen highlights that Inland Container Depots (ICDs) remain underutilised, with only around 15% of cargo currently booked on a Freight on Board (FOB) inland basis. Most shipments still change hands at ports, limiting visibility and control for global buyers. Flexport sees scope to improve rail-to-port coordination, optimise transit times and pricing, and offer better cost transparency. Petersen adds that many Western buyers are not fully aware of these inland logistics options in India.

Petersen argues that the returns on incremental infrastructure investment in China are diminishing, while India is at a very different stage of development. He points to rail corridors, port expansion, new airport infrastructure in Mumbai and the rollout of metro systems as examples where investment can still deliver outsized efficiency gains. These projects, he says, are likely to generate higher returns on capital by easing congestion, improving connectivity and supporting long-term trade growth.

Flexport’s India operations are taking shape at a time of wider change in global freight markets. Petersen says uncertainty around tariffs and geopolitics has increased volatility, while many supply chains continue to rely on manual processes such as spreadsheets, emails and phone calls. He argues that this creates space for companies that can combine technology with local expertise. In India, Flexport is seeking to balance digital tools with on-the-ground knowledge, recognising that freight forwarding remains a people-driven business.

Looking ahead, Petersen sees India playing a broader strategic role for Flexport, not just as an origin or destination market but as a connector across key trade corridors, including India–US, India–Europe and intra-Asia routes. Flexport currently operates in India from Mumbai and Bengaluru and plans to expand into second-tier cities as its customer base grows.

Supporting this expansion, Flexport has appointed Jaspreet Singh as a Country Manager for Flexport India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka & Pakistan to lead growth and operations for the Indian subcontinent. In his role, Singh is responsible for business enablement and for building teams and partnerships to enhance customer experience. His appointment aligns with Flexport’s plans to scale its India operations and strengthen on-the-ground execution as the company expands beyond major metros.

Founded in 2013 and headquartered in San Francisco, Flexport is a technology-driven, asset-light freight forwarder offering ocean and air freight, customs brokerage and trade finance through a software platform that gives shippers greater visibility and control over global supply chains, without owning ships, aircraft or warehouses.

Built on the view that global trade remains fragmented and inefficient, the company aims to replace manual processes and disconnected systems by integrating freight movement, customs, documentation, tariffs and financial flows into a single platform. After building strong exposure in China and expanding across Southeast Asia, Flexport has undergone internal restructuring to focus on profitable growth and long-term resilience, and is now positioning itself to expand selectively as competitors scale back, with India emerging as a key market.