Category Archives: Aviation

Rajen Bhatia, Chairman, Western Region ACAAI said, “EXIM Uncertainty because of Geopolitical tensions and shifting trade policies strain cross-border flows—pushing agents toward more dependable domestic routes. Initiatives like UDAN/KrishiUDAN and National Logistics Policy are boosting regional connectivity and cargo handling capability. With converted freighters and increased bellylift, airlines are meeting growing domestic demand caps.”

Vipin Vohra, Chairman, Continental Carriers said, “Air cargo agents are pivoting to strengthen domestic networks by establishing regional consolidation hubs and flexible feeder services. They’re forging partnerships with e-commerce and express-delivery platforms, investing in dedicated trucking links and leveraging the expanding railway cargo network to enhance connectivity and cost-efficiency. Bonded-warehouse stockpiling is being used to buffer against EXIM disruptions. Many are also reconfiguring capacity planning, deploying tech-enabled cargo visibility tools, and aligning with domestic carriers to ensure resilience and quicker response to shifting market demands.”

  Balagopal Balachandran, National Head – Air Freight, FEI Cargo said, “While the world contends with slowing growth, trade wars and geopolitical uncertainty, India is quietly building something far more resilient – it’s domestic market. “Local is the new Global.” India’s private consumption has doubled over the decades , rising from $1 trillion in 2013 to approx. $2.1 trillion in 2024. A rising urban middle class , growing appetite for faster services and the localisation of global supply chain are accelerating demand for domestic air cargo .  Organisations that once chased global revenues are now doubling down on Indian soil and honestly It’s working. With geopolitical tensions impacting global supply chains and EXIM trade flows, Indian air cargo agents are strategically depending towards the domestic cargo market. This shift is not merely reactive but part of a broader transformation to stay adaptable and relevant. Agents are realigning networks to serve Tier 2 and 3 cities forming strategic tie ups with regional and low-cost carriers to optimise domestic air space and ensuring faster turnarounds. There is growing investment in express logistics , temp controlled shipments, and airport-based consolidation centres to support time sensitive goods. Some leading agents are even developing domestic distribution hubs, positioning themselves as integral link in India’s consumption driven growth story . By diversifying into domestic cargo, agents are not just hedging against EXIM volatility but also tapping into India’s rapidly growing internal economy.”

  Sunil Kohli, MD, Rahat Cargo said, “To overcome the EXIM trade uncertainties, the agents are trying their best to collaborate with e-commerce companies while focusing on developing the specialised services of assorted kind. The agents are further diversifying into high-value, time-sensitive goods such as pharmaceuticals, perishables (e.g., fresh produce, seafood)within the domestic sector. The agents remain responsive to changes in global trade patterns including the impact of tariffs, trade agreements, and geopolitical events on their operations. Amid a highly competitive trade scenario, the agents do their bests to provide excellent customer service which includes real-time tracking and proactive communication in order to strengthen the loyalty factor among the clients.

The Air Cargo Forum India (ACFI) kickstarts Annual Conclave in New Delhi. The Conclave will be inaugurated by the Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu. The day-long event will bring together over 500 delegates including senior policymakers, corporate leaders, international think tanks, and logistics experts to discuss the future of India’s air cargo sector. Key highlight of the event will be the release of a white paper titled ‘India’s Air Cargo Horizon: Seizing Global Reroutes, Regional Dominance and Resilience’, developed in partnership with Ascel Advisors. The report outlines strategies to enhance India’s competitiveness in global air cargo logistics and sets a roadmap to achieve the national target of 10 million metric tonnes of throughput by 2030. Sanjeev Edward, President, ACFI said, “ACFI constantly works upon building capacity and fostering innovation and infra development.”

Unicommerce has announced its entry into the B2B segment with the launch of a new suite of solutions that aim to significantly enhance the efficiency and speed of B2B logistics operations. The solutions are targeted at improving fulfilment efficiency of retail replenishment orders, quick-commerce orders, general & modern trade orders and other B2B orders (such as outright, fulfilled by etc.) for e-commerce brands and online sellers. B2B order processing differs significantly from B2C orders due to larger volumes, complex pricing, and specific operational requirements. Traditionally, B2B operations rely on a manual-intensive process of purchase order handling, inventory allocation, picking, packing and freight handling due to the absence or complexity of technology solutions suited to their operating needs. This makes the B2B operations slow, error-prone and reactive, causing delays in the entire fulfillment pipeline. Unicommerce’s B2B suite is designed to help brands and businesses handle the B2B order movements with the speed and precision of e-commerce.  

Boeing has delivered a total of 16 777 freighters so far this year, including five in May, said reports. The company’s delivery data for May showed that Atlas Air Worldwide, China Airlines, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines and FedEx each ordered one 777F. Looking at the year-to-date data, one 777F was delivered in January, two in February, four in March, four in April, and five in May. Halfway through 2025 deliveries already exceeded the 13 777Fs that were delivered last year in total. A total of 13 777Fs have been ordered so far this year – eight by FedEx and five by unidentified customer(s). Two 777Fs were ordered in January and 11 in March. Boeing finished 2024 with orders of 35 777Fs in 2024. The company’s data also shows that five 767-300Fs have been delivered this year so far – three to FedEx and two to UPS. 10 767-300Fs were delivered in 2024 and 18 of the type were delivered in 2023, as well as 18 in 2022.

In a major step towards strengthening India’s logistics ecosystem, the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL) has inaugurated the country’s first Private Gati Shakti Cargo Terminal developed on the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) route — New Sanjali Terminal. The terminal was inaugurated by Praveen Kumar, Managing Director, DFCCIL, who termed it a significant achievement in the corporation’s logistics expansion strategy. He emphasised that this initiative is a concrete move towards modal shift, encouraging modal shift from road to rail, thereby enabling a more sustainable, efficient, and cost-effective logistics network. The inaugural ceremony was graced by Hon’ble former Member of Parliament Shri Natu Singh Thakur, along with key officials from DFCCIL, including Shri Shobhit Bhatnagar, Director (OP&BD); Shri S.P. Verma, GGM (OP&BD); Shri Deepak Gupta, CGM (Vadodara Unit); Shri Praveen Kumar Tiwari, AGM(OP&BD), Ahmedabad; Shri J.K. Agarwal, AGM(Business Development); Shri Rajesh Mishra, Deputy Chief Project Manager; Shri C.L. Chaudhary, Deputy Project Manager (OP&BD); Shri Arvind Nagar, Deputy General Manager (OP&BD), Mumbai; Shri Nitin Mohindru, Manager (OP&PR); and other DFCCIL officials. Representing the Sawariya Shakti Group were Shri Harish Agarwal; Shri Nikunj Agarwal; Shri Jai Tekwani; and Shri Rishabh Tekwani.

Keku Bomi Gazder, CEO and MD, Aviapro Logistic shares, “The China+1 strategy, driven by global firms seeking to diversify supply chains beyond China, is enhancing India’s role in global manufacturing. Multinational companies are investing in India due to its large labor force, improving infrastructure and government incentives like the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme. Sectors such as electronics, textiles and pharmaceuticals are gaining traction. Apple, for instance, has ramped up iPhone production in India. However, challenges remain, including regulatory hurdles and logistical inefficiencies. Despite these, India is emerging as a viable alternative in global supply chains, gradually reducing reliance on China while boosting domestic manufacturing and exports, aligning with the government’s “Make in India” initiative to position the country as a global manufacturing hub. In fact we should aim to be India+1 strategy.”  

IAG Cargo has signed up to use CHAMP Cargosystem’s CHAMP A2Z Scan to convert paper air waybills into a digital format. The A2Z system uses AI and Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology to extract data from paper documents for consolidation with all downstream processes and systems. The partnership follows a recent successful trial. IAG Cargo customers can access CHAMP A2Z Scan capabilities through the IAG Cargo portal. CHAMP claimed the tool delivers significant time savings by streamlining processes and also prevents delays. The system is run through CHAMP’s Cargospot-neo cargo management platform and is designed for use by airlines and ground handling agents.