A significant labor dispute has emerged in Canada's logistics sector as DHL Express Canada workers began striking on Sunday, following a lockout by the company amid ongoing contract negotiations. Represented by Unifor, Canada's largest private-sector union, over 2,100 employees including couriers, truck drivers, warehouse staff, and clerical workers have taken action across provinces including British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, and more. The strike presents serious implications for supply chain management in Canada, especially given DHL’s role in international shipping, time-definite delivery, and integrated logistics services. According to Unifor, the disruption could affect deliveries for major companies such as Temu, Shein, Lululemon, and Siemens Canada, which rely on DHL for critical logistics operations. One of the most pressing concerns is the impact on the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, scheduled from June 13 to 15. DHL is the official logistics provider responsible for transporting Formula One vehicles and related equipment. Unifor warned that the labor dispute may severely disrupt this high-profile international event, further exposing vulnerabilities in global trade and supply chain management networks. DHL has activated contingency plans and reassured customers that it can maintain reliable service across its Canadian network. However, it has not shared specific details on its supply chain demand planning or the contingency measures implemented.“We do not anticipate significant disruptions to our service,” DHL stated, citing proactive supply chain management strategies. Still, with integrated contracts involving carriers like UPS and Loomis, ripple effects could extend into other freight sectors, testing the robustness of digital supply chain ecosystems and chain supply management protocols across Canada.
In a move poised to strengthen international trade and supply chain management, Finland has inaugurated a new Honorary Consulate in Gujarat, with Ambassador Kimmo Lahdevirta highlighting the state's strategic importance in global partnerships. Speaking in Ahmedabad during the opening ceremony, Lahdevirta stated that Gujarat with its world-class infrastructure, business-friendly policies, and innovation-oriented institutions offers an ideal foundation for deepening global trade and supply chain management between Finland and India. “Our cooperation in Gujarat has traditionally focused on energy,” the ambassador noted. “But today, Finnish companies are expanding into areas such as clean energy, circular economy, smart infrastructure, skilling, and sustainable design. These are all vital to the future of international trade and supply chain ecosystems.” The newly appointed Honorary Consul is Kulin Lalbhai, a prominent business leader known for driving sustainability across various sectors through his leadership at Arvind Group. Ambassador Lahdevirta expressed confidence in Lalbhai’s role, stating: “His leadership and values mirror Finland’s commitment to long-term, innovation-driven growth in exim and supply chain networks.”
A major case of tax evasion has exposed serious gaps in supply chain management and regulatory oversight. A pan masala and tobacco product manufacturer is under investigation for allegedly evading ₹5 crore in Goods and Services Tax (GST) by operating a covert shadow supply chain and bypassing electronic supply chain management protocols. According to Central GST (CGST) officials, the company diverted goods from its registered manufacturing facility in Delhi to unregistered warehouses along the Delhi-Faridabad border. These products were then distributed across the Delhi-NCR region without generating mandatory e-way bills, a violation of supply and chain management regulations. Acting on intelligence inputs, CGST conducted coordinated raids on June 7 and 8 at five different sites. Officials seized large volumes of unrecorded branded goods, including Shikhar and Kamla Pasand, and intercepted a truck carrying 6.3 lakh packets of pan masala valued at ₹25 lakh without any supply chain tracking or documentation. The use of strategically located illegal warehouses highlights the evolving tactics in tax evasion, pointing to the urgent need for stronger digital supply chain oversight and supply chain demand planning. Officials stressed that the growing complexity of such frauds underscores the value of data analytics in modern SCM supply chain management. This isn't the first offense by the company previously, it was probed in Uttar Pradesh for a ₹1.8 crore GST evasion case. Authorities are now pursuing legal action, although company representatives remain unreachable for comment. With the growing importance of SCM innovations in India, platforms like the Supply Chain Leadership Summit and other best supply chain events in India will need to address how companies can align with GST compliance, ensure supply chain financing, and implement robust supply chain management development programs to prevent such systemic failures in the future. The future of supply chain management lies in tighter controls, cross-border collaboration, and technology-driven transparency.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has called China's rare earth export restrictions a global “wake-up call”, stressing the urgent need for resilient and diversified supply chain management. Speaking during his official visit to Switzerland, Goyal emphasized India's proactive role in creating alternative supply chains and positioning itself as a trusted global partner. Addressing the media after high-level meetings with Swiss government officials and business leaders, Goyal noted that while China's export curbs may cause short-term disruptions especially in India's automotive and white goods industries India's robust strategy, including supply chain demand planning and investment in digital supply chain solutions, will mitigate these impacts. “India is committed to supply chain management development programs that foster innovation and reduce dependency on any single source,” said Goyal. “This is a key moment to rethink our approach to chain supply management and scale up SCM innovations in India.” India’s focus is on building a future-ready supply chain, backed by supply chain financing, supply chain tracking, and advanced electronic supply chain management systems. Goyal highlighted that collaboration between government, industry leaders, and innovators will be critical in this transformation. With a growing emphasis on digital supply chain technologies, India aims to lead in future supply chain tracking and become a hub for supply chain leadership.s
In a major boost to procurement and supply chain management in Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced the upcoming launch of maize procurement centers along with the declaration of a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for the crop. The announcement was made during a public address under the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan, where the CM emphasized the transformation in agricultural practices and farmer welfare since 2014. Highlighting the expansion in crop diversity, Adityanath stated that maize has now emerged as a profitable third crop, cultivated across more than five lakh hectares in the state. “Farmers are earning up to ₹2.5 lakh per hectare, and we will soon ensure market support through procurement centers and MSP,” he said. The CM also drew attention to the shift in the procurement supply chain and logistics framework, driven by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Lab to Land’ initiative. Agricultural scientists and Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) experts are now actively working in the fields, promoting advanced farming techniques and supporting the seed-to-market vision. Adityanath underlined key reforms such as the Soil Health Card scheme, PM Agriculture Irrigation Scheme, Crop Insurance Scheme, and PM-KISAN, which now benefits over 12 crore farmers, including 2.86 crore farmers in Uttar Pradesh who have received ₹85,000 crore in direct transfers.
MAHESH JADHAV
AGM – Sourcing & Procurement Head, HYOSUNG GOODSPRINGSAtif Ali Khan
Associate Director Sourcing & Procurement, MetLifeAnil Pandita
Senior Director-Sourcing & Procurement, JLL IndiaSaahil Goel
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