Connect India centres are now authorized UPS shipping outlets
Connect India is now a UPS Authorized Shipping Outlet (ASO) through a new agreement that will connect customers in semi-urban and rural regions in India with the rest of world. Customers in remote locations in India will be able to book international shipments through Connect India centres which will, in turn, make use of UPS’s global shipping services.
Connect India operates through entrepreneur-run centres and also those of Common Services Centers e-Governance Services India Ltd (CSC e SPV). Together, they form a last-mile delivery network covering more than 50 cities, 650 district towns and 8,000 small towns across the country.
According to Connect India, the company’s vision is to eventually cover about 25,000 pin codes and establish 50,000 Connect India centres over the next three years.
UPS has been present in India since 1988.
According to a statement issued by UPS yesterday (3 December): “This service expansion is part of UPS’s long-term commitment to the country and its customers and will support market growth by helping clients connect even faster to all global markets. With this alliance UPS further expands it presence beyond the metros and urban centers in India.”
The Connect India centres will provide customers with a range of international shipping options, including packaging and labeling, and will also accept prepaid, drop-off packages processed online at ups.com.
Mark Martyn-Fisher, Managing Director of UPS India, commented: “The growing cross-border market in India and the renewed focus on boosting exports of indigenous products presents an opportunity to connect rural communities direct to an international delivery network.
“Our alliance with Connect India is invaluable in opening new markets for the budding entrepreneur and SME company networks that need a reliable, convenient logistics system in order to survive and flourish.”
L. R. Sridhar, Founder and CEO of Connect India, added: “We aim to become the drop-box for all domestic, international and banking needs in India. This will entail, first and foremost, evaluating possible business models and riding the wave of mobile internet connectivity to create a relevant marketplace platform for rural India. Even as we explore new partnerships to improve our last-mile distribution capabilities, being UPS’s Authorized Shipping Outlet will open up a whole new international market for our customers.”
