DP World reaffirms long-term partnership with India as Essa Kazim makes first visit

DP World has reaffirmed its long-term commitment to India’s economic growth and global trade ambitions, as H.E. Essa Kazim, Executive Chairman, made his first visit to the country in his new role, accompanied by Mr. Yuvraj Narayan, Group Chief Executive Officer, and members of DP World’s Global Board of Directors.

The visit reflects the strategic importance of India to DP World’s global growth agenda and its commitment to building world-class trade and logistics infrastructure in partnership with the country. As India strengthens its position as a global manufacturing, consumption and export hub, DP World continues to invest in capabilities that connect businesses to international markets, enhance supply chain resilience and support the country’s evolving trade requirements.

A key engagement during the visit was a meeting with Mr Gaurav Dayal, IAS, Chairman of the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) and Mr Ravish Kumar, IRTS, Deputy Chairman, reaffirming a partnership spanning nearly three decades. Beginning with the concession agreement for Nhava Sheva International Container Terminal (NSICT), the association has played a role in the development of India’s public-private partnership model in port infrastructure. 

The discussions focused on strengthening this longstanding relationship and exploring opportunities for future collaboration, including the development of Vadhavan Port and further investment in the JNPA Special Economic Zone. The engagement underscored the importance of sustained collaboration between the public and private sectors in developing the infrastructure, connectivity and capacity needed to support India’s next phase of trade-led growth.

As part of the visit, H.E. Essa Kazim and Mr. Yuvraj Narayan inaugurated Phase 2 of the Nhava Sheva Business Park (NSBP) in the presence of members of the DP World board. The business park’s first phase spans 44 acres and provides one million square feet of warehousing space. The newly inaugurated second phase covers an additional 42 acres and will add a further one million square feet of warehousing capacity, representing an investment of approximately ₹500 crore ($52 million). 

Together, the two phases strengthen DP World’s ability to support the growing and increasingly sophisticated requirements of customers across industries.

Commenting on the visit and the company’s commitment to India, H.E. Essa Kazim, Executive Chairman, DP World, said: 

“India is a strategic partner in DP World’s global growth journey, and we see significant opportunities to contribute to the country’s ambitions as a leading global trading nation. Our commitment goes beyond investing in infrastructure; it is about building enduring partnerships, strengthening connectivity and creating integrated supply chain solutions that enable Indian businesses to compete more effectively in global markets. The expansion of Nhava Sheva Business Park reflects our confidence in India’s long-term potential and our continued focus on meeting the evolving needs of our customers. We look forward to deepening our collaboration with government and industry partners to support India’s growth and unlock new opportunities for trade.”

The expansion is part of DP World’s broader vision to develop an integrated logistics ecosystem at Nhava Sheva, connecting port operations with container freight stations, rail, warehousing and Free Trade Warehousing Zone capabilities. By bringing these complementary services together, DP World enables customers to move cargo more efficiently, optimise logistics costs and access end-to-end supply chain solutions through a connected infrastructure network. 

The investment reflects a customer-led approach to growth, anticipating changing business needs while providing the capacity, flexibility and connectivity required to serve both domestic and international trade. It also reinforces DP World’s focus on developing infrastructure that creates long-term value for customers and contributes to the wider competitiveness of India’s logistics sector.