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Have you heard of LEAPS or LEAPS India Logistics? If your business is involved in logistics and supply chain management or transportation in general, then it’s likely you are familiar with India Logistics or LEAPS. The LEAPS programme is an innovative, flagship initiative by the DPIIT logistics division that aims to recognise and award MSMEs, startups and logistics sector enablers for demonstrating excellence and leadership in logistics. In this article, we will learn more about the LEAPS portal, LEAPS application process, its categories and how MSMEs can benefit from LEAPS.
Note: LEAPS application is currently not available. The DPIIT was accepting submissions until 14 May 2023 to showcase best practice in logistics under its LEAPS initiative. (The initial submission day was 15 April which was revised to 14 May).
What is LEAPS logistics? Full form and overview
LEAPS stands for Logistics Excellence, Advancement and Performance Shield.
The logistics division of DPIIT (Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade) introduced LEAPS India logistics as an innovative and flagship programme to recognise the best practices and leadership displayed by entities in the logistics sector to bring transformation in the Indian logistics sector ecosystem.
The idea is to identify outstanding performers in logistics and supply chain, and celebrate their success that is collectively contributing to the realisation of the vision set forward through the National Logistics Policy 2022 and the PM Gati Shakti programme.
- The National Logistics Policy was introduced to create a single-window e-logistics market focusing on the need for skill development, economic growth and competitiveness in the logistics sector. It aims to reduce logistics costs, improve India’s ranking in the Logistics Performance Index and establish a data-driven decision support mechanism.
- The PM Gati Shakti Programme aims to understand current gaps in logistics connectivity and facilitate development of logistics infrastructure (creating connectivity between roadways, rail transport, waterways and air transport) so as to reduce logistics cost. The programme has an estimated cost of ₹100 trillion.
With LEAPS a new global benchmark for logistics is being envisioned. It will recognise key players and contributors in the logistics industry. This will include MSMEs, startups and all other businesses and logistics enablers who have designed and provided innovative solutions and demonstrated performance excellence in bringing transformation in the logistics sector.
For more details, visit the India Logistics (LEAPS) official website: leaps.logistics.gov.in
Industry partners for LEAPS programme
Listed below are some of the partners who are a part of the Logistics Excellence, Advancement and Performance Shield (LEAPS) programme:
- Logistics Skill Council (LSC)
- Federation of Freight Forwarders Association in India (FFI)
- National Association of Container Freight Stations (NACFS)
- The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport
- Association of Warehouse Developers – Uttar Pradesh
- Association of Container Train Operators (ACTO)
What are the different categories of LEAPS India logistics?
Logistics cost in India is estimated to stand at 13%-14% which is significantly higher than the global benchmark of 7%-8%. And it’s not surprising when a business identifies high logistics expenses during a logistics cost analysis. This is because cost calculation varies across the country. All government initiatives, and the efforts of the LEAPS portal thus is to cut logistics costs and create a culture of healthy competitiveness in the logistics ecosystem.
There are 5 LEAPS categories for consideration – Core Logistics, MSME, Startups, Institutions, Special Categories
Let’s take a look at each category under LEAPS logistics.
1. Core Logistics
As the name suggests, Core Logistics refer to the main modes of transportation and logistics in the country. These include:
- Air Freight Service Provider
- Agriculture Warehousing
- Road Freight Service Provider
- Rail Freight Service Provider
- Maritime Freight Service Provider
- Warehouse Service Provider (Industrial and Consumables)
- Packaging in Agriculture and Food Products
- Packaging in Non-Perishables
- Multimodal Transport Operators / 3PL Service Provider (Learn what are third party service providers)
2. MSME
The next category is that of MSMEs – that is Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises who have demonstrated innovative solutions in logistics. This includes:
- Logistics Service Provider
3. Startups
The next category is that of startups. It must be noted that MSMEs and Startups can participate in Core Categories. They can also participate in the Special Category. The number of LEAPS categories they can participate in is however limited to two.
The startup categories for LEAPS are:
- Logistics operations (Read how to manage logistics operations for your business)
- Logistics technology (Learn about emerging logistics technology in India)
4. Institutions
As can be understood from the category, these refer to any institution that facilitates training, learning or skill development in the logistics sector. This includes:
- Education and Skill Development in the Logistics Sector
5. Special Categories
There are three sub-categories for LEAPS Special Categories. As mentioned previously, startups and MSMEs can participate in this category, but they can apply for a maximum of two categories only. The sub-categories are:
- Champions of Safety in Logistics Operations
- Champions of Inclusivity and Diversity in Logistics
- Champions of ESG Practices in Logistics
LEAPS India Logistics Eligibility
A natural question at this point is, who can apply to LEAPS and how to apply for LEAPS. There are some category specific eligibility requirements that have been listed.
To be considered eligible listed below are some of the criteria for the LEAPS portal:
For application in Core and Special Categories:
- Company must be registered in India under the Companies Act 1956 or a partnership firm registered under the Limited Liability Partnership Act of 2008 (Learn how to register an LLP business)
- All trade specific registrations must be available
- Should not be a defaulter in the last 3 years
- Audited financial statement of last 3 years must e submitted
Startup eligibility criteria for LEAPS
- Must be DPIIT recognised (certificate has to be submitted)
- Must have a hardware, software or process available in the market
- All trade specific registration
- Non-defaulter in the last 3 years
- All audited financials for 3 years must be provided
- For newly incorporated businesses (FY19020 or later) submission of financial documents to project future returns
MSME eligibility criteria for LEAPS
- Must be a recognised MSME entity
- Must have the required trade-specific registration such as MSME certificate (Learn how to download MSME certificate)
- There shouldn’t be any case of default in the previous 3 years
- Audited financials of 3 years to be submitted
- For MSMEs incorporated in FY19-20, financial statements for projections should be submitted
Rules of participation in LEAPS
It must be kept in mind that participation in LEAPS is voluntary. Entities can participate in two categories. Finalists may have to go through a legal due diligence check by third-party reviewers to confirm details.
By participating, the entity also agrees on its business name, URL and photos to be used by the Government of India (GoI) and its partners for promotional purposes. Any wrong information provided will lead to immediate disqualification.
The decision of the jury and the implementation committee is final. Also, no participant will be paid any allowance for travel or presentation purpose.
How to apply for LEAPS?
To apply for LEAPS, you will have to visit the LEAPS India Logistics page and click on ‘Apply for LEAPS’: leaps.logistics.gov.in/
However, application for the current year was open till 14 May 2023.
Participants will be evaluated on the basis of certain criteria such as – innovation, performance, customer feedback, sustainability, social responsibility.
The way ahead
Logistics Excellence, Advancement and Performance Shield (LEAPS) is a much needed programme to celebrate the success of logistics companies that are innovation and performance driven and are doing their part to bring about change in the logistics sector.
India’s logistics market is huge and growing. Moreover, with the advent of technology and online shopping, the scale of logistics has manifold.
Moreover, with competition on the rise, it’s imperative for all players in the field to follow the best practices and stay competitive to be able to deliver better customer experiences while growing business substantially. LEAPS logistics aims to foster innovation, technology adoption, and support to businesses, while bridging the gap between the government, industry and associations, and other stakeholders.
Sohini is a seasoned content writer with 12 years’ experience in developing marketing and business content across multiple formats. At Tata nexarc, she leverages her skills in crafting curated content on the Indian MSME sector, steel procurement, and logistics. In her personal time, she enjoys reading fiction and being up-to-date on trends in digital marketing and the Indian business ecosystem.
