Category Archives: Aviation

Ayesha Katgara, Head – Corporate Strategy, Jeena & Company was conferred with DDP Face of the Future Gold Award at the recently concluded India Cargo Awards 2024 in Mumbai on Monday night. Chief Guest Unmesh Sharad Wagh, Chairman, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) and Guest of Honour P K Rout, Deputy Director General of Shipping, MoS, GoI presented the award. With a rich background in marketing and corporate strategy, Ayesha has a remarkable ability to drive business success. Her proficiency stems from her hands-on experience within her family’s 124-year-old business, renowned for its expertise in logistics and supply chain management. Passionate about all marketing facets, her focus lies in crafting robust business strategies that fuel revenue growth and market expansion. Ayesha’s leadership philosophy is rooted in inclusivity and collaboration. She leads by example, taking her colleagues with her towards shared goals, striving for excellence, and driving impactful change.

  Afzal Malbarwala, MD, Galaxy Freight, “The ongoing crisis in Bangladesh, including political unrest and economic instability, has significantly impacted India’s EXIM (Export-Import) trade. Exports to Bangladesh, India’s largest trading partner in South Asia, have declined due to reduced demand and disrupted supply chains. Majority of suppliers to various buyers have their factory in Bangladesh and many fabric suppliers also. Additionally, India’s imports from Bangladesh, such as readymade garments and seafood, have also been affected. The crisis has resulted in increased trade costs, delayed shipments, and reduced revenue for Indian exporters and importers. This has had a ripple effect on overall trade balance and economic growth, highlighting the need for a stable and secure trading environment. Many forwarders who have contract with airlines for transshipment cargo via airports in india also suffered.”

Prediman Koul, CEO, Jeena and Company says, “The ongoing situation in Bangladesh is causing significant concerns within the industry, given the strong trade ties between the two nations. With India’s exports spanning a diverse range of sectors such as agriculture, textiles, machinery, and more, any disruption poses a substantial risk. The current challenges, particularly the shortage of foreign exchange in Bangladesh, are already affecting export operations. The situation is further complicated by difficulties in the timely transport of perishable goods across the border. As the crisis continues, there is apprehension about potential border closures or increased security measures that could further impact bilateral trade. Despite these challenges, there remains a cautious optimism that normalcy will be restored, ensuring the continuity of trade relations.”

C K Govil, President Air Cargo Agents Association of India (ACAAI) and CMD, Activair Airfreight says, “The ongoing political crisis in Bangladesh has significantly disrupted Indian export cargo transshipments. This turmoil is causing delays and increasing logistical costs particularly affecting sectors like agriculture and textiles. Internet disruption and security concerns at borders are further complicating trade operations.”

Sunil Kohli, Managing Director, Rahat Cargo says, “The ongoing political turmoil in Bangladesh has brought an abrupt halt to the exports of several commodities such as cotton, iron, steel, vegetables – particularly onion, automobiles & assorted auto products. Also severely affected are seafood exports and imports of high-quality jute that are re-exported as value-added jute products. However, the impact will likely be for the short-term, while the textile and jute sectors may gain in the long term as buyers abroad look for a safe destination for timely delivery. The political turmoil in Bangladesh has also impacted some Indian businesses who set up manufacturing bases there. An industry source expects the country may gain from exports of jute products too as Bangladesh’s situation could force buyers to turn to India. Let’s hope the situation gets back to normalcy soon in Bangladesh”

Xerrxes Master, President, Association of Multimodal Transport Operators of India (AMTOI) says, “The ongoing political crisis in Bangladesh, marked by severe civil unrest and economic instability, is significantly disrupting air cargo and EXIM trade with India. Flight cancellations and logistical challenges have created a backlog in air cargo shipments, particularly affecting perishable goods and key exports like textiles. Additionally, disruptions at key border points and the Dhaka airport are further complicating trade operations. Indian exporters are concerned about delays and increased costs, which are expected to persist until the situation stabilizes​.”

Pradeep Panicker, CEO, GMR Hyderabad International Airport shares, “Government has been promoting trade through initiatives like the recent G20 Middle East Europe Economic Corridor, which promotes EXIM trade. Additionally, the National Logistics Policy, Unified Logistics Interface Platform and Gati Shakthi are initiatives aimed at transforming the domestic logistics market, ensuring multi-modal connectivity, enhancing inter-stakeholder coordination and improving the ease of doing business in India. On the airports front, the government is in the process of developing a concept paper to promote hub airports in India. This initiative aims to position India as a hub for both passenger and cargo traffic, further enhancing its role in international trade and logistics.”    

CargoAi has added a new tool to its booking portal that allows forwarders to create real-time quotations for customers, says release. The Shipper Quotation Module will “significantly” reduce “the back-and-forth routine between procurement and sales teams” the software firm claimed. It works by enabling forwarders to generate quotes in retail time in response to customer enquiries through the CargoMART booking portal. The quotations can be managed independently without needing to rely on intermediaries. “The Shipper Quotation Module offers the flexibility to modify and cancel quotations directly from the CargoMART account,” CargoAi said. “Users can adjust their quotes to reflect changing market conditions and customer requirements, ensuring that they remain competitive and responsive to their clients’ needs.”

Chennai-based Kaushalya Logistics announced the launch of a new vertical in freight forwarding under full truck-load services besides boosting logistics with a new depot in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra, said reports. The launch of the new cement depot on August 1 enhances the company’s logistics services for Adani cement, including rake point operations, depot management and secondary transportation, the statement Kaushalya Logistics said. The new depot is designed to handle approximately 120,000 metric tons of cement annually, supporting ACC and Ambuja Cement brands, thereby significantly broadening KLL’s service capabilities, it said. It also said that this depot facility will oversee the complete logistics chain, from rail movement to depot operations and transportation to secondary distribution points adding that this all-encompassing approach is set to streamline the supply chain and boost efficiency.