KSH Integrated Logistics opened its latest multi-client warehouse in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Spanning 30,000 sq. ft., the facility is strategically located in Pithampur, a key industrial cluster, catering to the growing demand for organised warehousing and distribution services in Central India. This launch marks a significant milestone in KSH’s growth strategy, extending its multi-client warehousing capabilities to one of India’s most connected regions.  The facility is designed to support immediate operational deployment for a wide range of industries, including automotive, industrial, OEM supply chains and many more. Advanced Services and Infrastructure The Indore facility offers comprehensive warehousing solutions, such as ground and racked storage, warehouse management, value added services and last-mile delivery services. Integrated with robust Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) and Transport Management Systems (TMS), the warehouse ensures operational transparency, inventory control, and seamless transport execution. The facility is built to high safety and compliance standards, featuring fire hydrants, fire sprinklers, and beam detectors – an advanced safety setup that is still rare in many regional warehouses.

According to industry analysts Xeneta, “Global air cargo volumes grew over 4 per cent year-on-year in April but with today’s removal of the de minimis threshold for shipments from China into the United States expected to dramatically disrupt e-commerce volumes in the coming weeks and massive uncertainty hanging over the macroeconomic outlook, the question for the air cargo market in 2025 has become ‘how bad will it be?’ Over the past 10 years, US consumers have paid no duty on shipments valued at $800 or less, causing the volume of cross-border packages into the US to soar to some 1.35bn annually. Similar (but lower) exemptions exist in other countries. From today (May 2), however, low-value products sourced from China and Hong Kong into the US will now be subject to 145% new tariffs, with products sourced from postal services paying a different 120% duty on the value of the goods or a $100 flat fee, rising to $200 on June 1.”

Challenge Group has launched its Boeing 777-300ERSF conversion programme, and stated there could be up to 10 of the conversion type in its fleet within the next five years. Challenge has already transferred the first aircraft in its conversion programme to IAI’s facilities for modification, said reports. The company anticipates converting three more aircraft and has options for an additional four. This follows the announcement by Challenge in January that it had signed a deal with lessor AerCap to add two Boeing 777-300ERSF freighters converted by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to its fleet. In total, this means Challenge could eventually operate as many as 10 777-300ERSFs. Each 777-300ERSF has a payload capacity of nearly 100 tons.

Stéphane Graber, Director General, FIATA said, “FIATA promotes sustainability both through advocacy and practical tools. We are engaged in key multilateral discussions to ensure freight forwarders are recognised in climate dialogues, and we are advancing work on emissions tracking, green corridor development, the digitalisation of logistics processes, and the optimisation of multimodal transport. In parallel, we provide our members with training and guidance on implementing greener best practices, from carbon footprint measurement to modal shift strategies. Our goal is to empower Members to contribute meaningfully to global climate goals without compromising their operational viability.”

Uber is planning to launch a B2B logistics service in India. It will be in partnership with an Indian government-backed nonprofit, the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC). The ONDC aims to expand digital commerce in India and make it easier for small businesses to go online, said official reports. The partnership with Uber will enable businesses on the ONDC network to access on-demand logistics through Uber, first for food deliveries and then later for eCommerce, grocery, pharmacy and healthcare logistics.  

Shiprocket has launched the country’s first Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server for e-commerce shipping. It allows AI agents to directly handle key operations—from checking shipping rates to tracking orders—using a single line of instruction. This marks a significant milestone in the evolution of agentic e-commerce, giving businesses the ability to automate and execute actions across the e-commerce stack using natural language commands or AI assistants, eliminating the need for traditional dashboards or APIs. With a single, natural-language prompt, businesses can now create, track, or manage shipments, no dashboards, no APIs, just intent. Shiprocket’s newly launched MCP makes this possible by enabling AI assistants, whether internal tools or automation bots, to directly interact with Shiprocket’s platform. From real-time tracking to scheduling a pickup, commerce operations can now be triggered through voice or text commands. Designed for the next generation of eCommerce operations, the MCP Server delivers: Faster execution – Instantly perform logistics actions, reducing manual effort and delays Seamless integration – Connect effortlessly with AI tools or enterprise systems Hands-free operations – No dashboards or human intervention needed Enterprise-grade security – Built on Shiprocket’s trusted, scalable infrastructure

Tata Motors strengthened Magenta Mobility’s Ace EV fleet to 350 vehicles with the delivery of additional 20 units. This delivery is part of the MoU signed in 2023 between Tata Motors and Magenta Mobility to deploy 500 units of Ace EVs. Deployed in 10 cities, Tata Ace EVs operated by Magenta Mobility have already clocked approximately 50 lakh cumulative kilometres, resulting in an estimated 2,500 tonnes of CO₂ emissions saved. The country’s most advanced, zero-emission commercial vehicle is actively deployed across segments like e-commerce, parcel & courier, FMCG, FMCD and dairy. Maxson Lewis, Founder & CEO, Magenta Mobility, said “The Tata Ace EV has consistently delivered operational excellence, high uptime, robust range, and driver-friendly performance. With 350 vehicles already integrated into our fleet and 150 more on the way, we are strengthening our green logistics footprint across India. Tata Motors’ reliable service ecosystem and proven technology make them a key partner in our journey to scale up across 16 cities and decarbonize mobility.”  

CK Govil, President, ACAAI said, “One of the greatest strengths of the FIATA RAP Meeting is its power to connect minds from across the globe. I hope attendees leave with not just insights, but meaningful relationships—built on shared goals and a collective vision for the future of air cargo. This event provides a platform for open dialogue between industry leaders, regulators, technology providers, and freight forwarders. Whether it’s forming new business alliances, exploring joint ventures, or simply learning from each other’s experiences, the opportunities for collaboration are immense. More importantly, I hope attendees see India as a willing and capable partner in global logistics—a country that is open, innovative, and ready to co-create solutions that can drive the next wave of transformation in the air cargo industry. Networking at this event isn’t just about exchanging business cards—it’s about planting the seeds of future partnerships that can shape the direction of global trade.”  

UP state government has entered into a strategic partnership with Indian Railways to establish multi-modal logistics hubs across the state, enhancing connectivity and facilitating efficient movement of goods. The MoU was signed between Invest UP, the state’s investment promotion agency and the Northern Railway’s Lucknow division. The agreement outlines the development of logistics hubs, dry ports and multi-modal parks, positioning Uttar Pradesh as a leading industrial state.  A key provision of the MoU mandates that at least one leg of transportation either raw materials or finished goods must utilise railways. This initiative promotes cost-effective and sustainable logistics, reducing dependency on road transport and minimizing carbon emissions. To incentivise private investment, Indian Railways will offer its land to logistics and warehousing investors on a 35-year lease at a concessional rate of 1.5% of the prevailing industrial or circle rate. This move aims to attract significant private sector participation in the development of logistics infrastructure. The partnership also focuses on integrating available railway land data into the Pradhan Mantri Gati Shakti National Master Plan Portal. This integration will simplify investor access to land-related information, streamlining the approval process and encouraging investment in logistics projects.

Gautham R, Senior Manager, Global Air Freight and Head – Air Freight, India said, “India ranked as the UK’s 11th largest trading partner in the four quarters of 2024, contributing 2.4 per cent to the UK’s total trade. The top five traded products between the two nations included Oil, Clothing, Telecom & Sound Equipment, Pharmaceuticals and Iron & Steel (Ministry of Commerce). The recently introduced Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the UK is poised to significantly benefit India’s MSME sector. With over 63 million enterprises employing well over 250 million people, Indian MSMEs contribute over 40% to the country’s total exports. The FTA opens up new market opportunities for these enterprises, enabling them to expand globally—particularly in the UK. To maximize this potential, MSME stakeholders must ensure that the pricing of Indian products—especially in competitive categories like Textiles—is sharp when compared to other exporting countries such as Bangladesh. Additionally, the FMCG sector in India stands to gain from reduced import tariffs on UK-origin products such as whiskey, gin, lamb, soft drinks, chocolates, and cookies, which will boost product diversity and market growth. It is important to support MSMEs by connecting them with the right buyers, enabling access to new markets, and driving business growth. This strategic collaboration is set to create long-term win-win outcomes for all stakeholders involved which what WIZ plans.”