Diversified public sector enterprise Balmer Lawrie & Co Ltd is enhancing its domestic logistics and travel operations in light of geopolitical tensions and growth in domestic tourism. According to reports from ETInfra, Chairman Adhip Nath Palchaudhuri addressed the company's 109th Annual General Meeting on Monday, stating the company was adapting its operations to an increasingly volatile global environment where geopolitical developments and national security considerations were increasingly influencing global trade. The company is expanding its supply chain touchpoints with greater emphasis on domestic logistics operations, including its new rail logistics and third-party logistics businesses, to strengthen resilience against global trade disruptions.
The company's logistics business already provides integrated supply chain solutions through its network of container freight stations, warehouses and specialised cold-chain facilities. As reported by ETInfra, the new rail logistics foray is expected to be a key growth driver going ahead, with the chairman identifying this as a strategic focus area for future expansion. The company is seeking to strengthen its resilience by catering to these areas of domestic economic activity rather than being solely exposed to disruptions in global trade. This strategic pivot comes as the chairman described uncertainty as the "new normal" amid the Gulf crisis, rising global tariff protectionism and disruptions to established supply chains.
The company's Travel & Vacations division recorded a 25% increase in registrations on the exclusive Government of India employee travel portal, while ticketing volumes grew 15% year-on-year. According to ETInfra, the vacations, retail and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) divisions recorded their highest-ever gross toplines. The company is aligning its tour packages, retail vacations and MICE capabilities with the growth in domestic tourism, with domestic tourism visits rising nearly 52.7% between January and September 2025. The chairman emphasized that domestic tourism has remained a major component of the travel sector, with this growth trajectory supporting the company's strategic focus on domestic markets.
The chemicals division recorded its highest-ever turnover and profit in FY 2025-26, while the Industrial Packaging business continued technological upgradation across its six manufacturing plants. As reported by ETInfra, the Greases & Lubricants business is working on eco-friendly and synthetic lubricants. The company's approach comes against the backdrop of the Gulf crisis, rising global tariff protectionism and disruptions to established supply chains, which the chairman described as having made uncertainty the "new normal".
