Nagaland has taken a step towards building a skilled workforce for the growing logistics sector with the launch of the Centre of Logistics Training for Excellence (COLTE), the first centre of its kind in the Northeast, at Sector 3, Kushiabill in Dimapur.
The Centre of Excellence in logistics has been established by Redington Foundation in collaboration with the Logistics Sector Skill Council (LSC). Deputy Chief Minister TR Zeliang inaugurated the centre on September 11 in the presence of MLA and Advisor for Labour, Employment & Skill Development and Excise Moatoshi Longkumer, along with executives from Redington and LSC.
The COLTE is the outcome of a tripartite agreement signed in March 2026 between the Department of Employment, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Redington Foundation and the Logistics Sector Skill Council.
Zeliang said the centre would place Nagaland on the national network of specialised logistics training centres. Referring to similar centres in Chennai and Hyderabad, he said, “Nagaland joins that national network, the first of its kind in our State and in the Northeast.”
The Deputy Chief Minister highlighted Dimapur’s strategic importance as Nagaland’s multi-modal transit hub under the Act East Policy. He pointed out that several high-value products from the state, including Naga king chilli, kiwi, coffee beans and bamboo, regularly pass through Dimapur, but local youth have had limited opportunities to take up roles across the supply chain because of a lack of specialised training.
He said the state government was also looking at replicating the COLTE model in other districts that have potential for logistics-related activities.
According to Zeliang, 92 per cent of the 71,000 youth registered as unemployed in Nagaland do not have technical or vocational training, citing official government data. He also said Nagaland has the highest proportion of government employees in relation to its population among Indian states.
The COLTE is expected to train 360 candidates every year, with an assured 100 per cent placement rate under the programme. The centre will focus on equipping candidates with skills relevant to the logistics industry and improving their access to employment opportunities.
Moatoshi Longkumer said the partnership has clearly defined roles for the three participating organisations. The government will provide infrastructure and administrative support, while Redington Foundation will serve as the corporate social responsibility funding partner. The Logistics Sector Skill Council will be responsible for delivering the curriculum and conducting the training.
The programme is planned to operate for a minimum of three years, with the possibility of being extended over the longer term. Its training activities will include practical exposure to the logistics industry, upskilling programmes, training of trainers and specialised industry-oriented courses based on market and industry requirements.
The establishment of the centre is expected to provide local youth with opportunities to acquire specialised skills in logistics while helping address the shortage of trained manpower in a sector that is becoming increasingly important to trade and movement of goods.
For Nagaland, the initiative also seeks to connect the state’s young workforce with employment opportunities beyond traditional sectors and make greater use of Dimapur’s position as an important transit point for goods moving into and out of the Northeast.
