Freight specialist Deutsche Post DHL has chosen India as the pilot market to develop an e-commerce business in Asia Pacific.

The company, through its majority-owned Blue Dart Express, will invest 100 million euros to build e-fulfilment centres, procure new aircraft and expand payment and delivery options in India.

“As the leading logistics company with an unsurpassed global footprint, there’s a huge opportunity for us to become the world’s leading provider of e-commerce logistics and we have a ready solutions infrastructure in India to pilot our solutions,” said CEO Frank Appel.

Asia Pacific’s e-retail market is expected to surpass that of North America and Europe, offering huge potential for the company, said Appel.

Anil Khanna, MD of Blue Dart Express, added: “Blue Dart’s domestic delivery system and network capabilities in India provide the perfect base for piloting the development of region-wide e-commerce solutions. We are working closely with leading brands, marketplace sellers and retailers to help them establish a sustainable e-commerce footprint.”