Karan Adani: Resilient supply chains critical amid global disruption

Resilient supply chains and integrated infrastructure are critical as global trade faces repeated disruptions, Karan Adani, Managing Director (MD), Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ), has said and noted that infrastructure platforms built by the Adani Group are national assets that strengthen India's trade, logistics and energy security.

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Speaking at the India Today conclave, he said Adani Group's long-term aspiration is to become the country's most efficient logistics provider and among the cheapest generators of power while maintaining strong corporate governance.

He said the ongoing crisis in West Asia has highlighted the vulnerability of global trade routes passing through key maritime choke points such as the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal and the Strait of Malacca. Disruptions along these corridors can quickly ripple across global supply chains, reinforcing the need for stronger logistics infrastructure and diversified trade networks.

Karan Adani added that the infrastructure platforms built by the Adani Group are national assets that strengthen India's trade, logistics and energy security. Speaking during a fireside conversation at the conclave, Karan Adani said disruptions since 2020 -- from the Covid-19 pandemic to geopolitical conflicts -- have reshaped global trade and supply chain strategies.

"Supply chains have faced continuous shocks over the past few years. In such an environment, countries must build strong logistics networks and resilient infrastructure," he said.

Karan Adani said the Adani Group's infrastructure strategy reflects this paradigm shift. By building platforms across ports, logistics, energy and airports, the Group aims to strengthen India's capacity to support trade, manufacturing and economic growth.

"We strongly believe in the India story. We know the assets we are building and the role they can play in the country's future," he said.

Reducing logistics costs remains a key priority. Stronger integration between ports, transport utilities, airports and logistics networks can significantly improve supply chain efficiency. "Once infrastructure is built, trade follows," he said.

Investment and Expansion Plans

To support this vision, the Adani Group plans to invest Rs 2 lakh crore in greenfield infrastructure projects annually over the next five years, spanning renewable energy, transmission, airports, logistics and data centres.

Renewables remain a core capability for the Group, alongside emerging technologies such as battery storage. The Group is also expanding its presence in materials such as cement, aluminium, copper and defence manufacturing, sectors that support large-scale infrastructure development.| In aviation, the Group plans to increase passenger handling capacity across its airport network from 100 million to about 200 million by 2030.

With APSEZ operating international assets including Haifa Port in Israel, the company has had to adapt to shifting trade patterns while maintaining cargo operations. Karan Adani, who is also Director, Adani Cement, said many global companies are increasingly moving towards regional supply chains to improve resilience.

Strategic Goals for 2030

Looking ahead, the Adani portfolio aims by 2030 to double port capacity from 600 million metric tonnes (MMT) to 1,200 MMT, expand renewable energy capacity from 18 gigawatts to 50 gigawatts (GW), and increase thermal power generation from 17 GW to 45 GW.

Values-Driven Growth

Karan Adani said growth must also be guided by values. "Speed and scale are important, but empathy and responsibility are equally essential," he said, echoing Chairman Gautam Adani's emphasis on purpose-driven leadership.

He acknowledged the influence of both his parents, describing the Chairman's leadership as a constant inspiration and highlighting the stellar social work of Dr Priti Adani through the Adani Foundation in education, healthcare and sustainable livelihoods. "Our focus remains clear," he said. "We believe deeply in the India story and are committed to building assets that contribute to the country's long-term development."

Adani Group's Three Core Verticals

Answering a query, Karan Adani said the Adani Group is very focused. "If you look at the group, we are in three big verticals, if I have to club it. The first is the whole energy piece, where as a group we believe that we have to generate energy which is cheapest for the consumer. To prioritize what the government is looking from a long-term perspective. So, that's where in the energy vertical, we are fully integrated--whether it's the transmission, distribution, generation. In generation, it is thermal, we started renewable, now we are starting battery storage. So basically, we keep developing and focus on the energy that is our core competence and obviously next is the data center that we've just announced," he said.

"The second big part of the group is the whole ports, logistics, transport utility...And the third big vertical for the group is the whole materials and science part...even the defence--that falls part of the materials business. That's how you should look at the Group. We are very focused, we know where our core competency is, and that's how we are structured," he added. (ANI)