Miles To Empty: India's Trucking Sector Signals Economic Drag

For those who track the news of commerce, the rumble of diesel engines across India's vast highway network has long been a reassuring indicator of economic vitality. But a recent dispatch from Shriram Mobility, attuned to the pulse of the transportation sector, suggests a deceleration.

Truck rentals, a bellwether of goods movement, are displaying an uncharacteristic sluggishness, mirroring a wider recalibration of economic expectations. This dip, attributed to a confluence of factors—general slowdown in industrial activity, tepid infrastructure demand, and the perennial caution of the fiscal year-end—paints a picture of muted momentum in Asia's third-largest economy.

The granular ...