Compliance fears as Indian Customs introduces revised manifest rules
Indian Customs has implemented a long-awaited rule revision to tighten export/import cargo manifests. The Sea Cargo ...
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The momentum building in Indian air cargo trade verticals, propelled by ecommerce demand and manufacturing expansion, is poised to accelerate in 2025, industry stakeholders believe.
India’s largest private airline, IndiGo, has devised “robust multi-pronged strategies” to capitalise on a wave of growth opportunities emerging in the market, after notching significant gains this year, according to Mark Sutch, CCO of cargo arm CarGo International.
“From a record-breaking uplift of over 37,000 tonnes in October to substantial growth in domestic and international operations, this has been a year of transformation and progress,” Mr Sutch told The Loadstar.
“Looking ahead to 2025, we are excited about continuing this upward trajectory.”
IndiGo, which has three freighters – all converted A321s – aims to enhance tonnage utilisation and efficiency metrics to keep pace with rising demand.
“As we prepare for the introduction of the widebody A350, we are focused on expanding our capabilities and enhancing our global cargo services,” Mr Sutch noted. “Additionally, we will launch new tech initiatives to streamline operations and improve customer experience, while also strengthening our international cargo stations.”
The CarGo chief also said IndiGo was exploring new industry partnerships to broaden its cargo product portfolio to offer customers a more diverse range of services, as they extend market reach. To that end, the carrier recently began a thrice-weekly freighter connection between Kolkata in eastern India and Ezhou in China’s Hubei province.
Vineet Malhotra, co-founder and director at Mumbai-based Kale Logistics Solutions, also noted significant demand traction indicators for the Indian air cargo industry.
“India’s air cargo volumes are projected to reach 3.6m to 3.7m tonnes in fiscal year 2024-25, a 9%-11% year-on-year increase,” Mr Malhotra said. “And the country aims to handle 10m tonnes of air freight annually by 2030, fuelled by rapid ecommerce expansion.”
Freight forwarders active in air cargo trades are also betting high on the market outlook, as airlines increasingly focus on fleet expansions to handle projected growth, with spillovers from disrupted ocean supply chains adding to that demand optimism.
“The market outlook is highly bullish, and airlines will focus on efficiency and innovation to navigate rising costs and sustain profitability,” Priyadarshani Jain, global marketing head at forwarder Triton Logistics (Abrao Group), told The Loadstar.
At the same time, Indian perishables shippers with complex and specialised logistics needs, voiced concerns over challenges with air freight shipments.
Tarun Arora, director of Mumbai-based fresh fruit importer IG International, told The Loadstar high inbound freight rates and cold chain infrastructure inadequacies, coupled with customs clearance delays, were compromising time-sensitive product integrity.
“To compete effectively, India must address these bottlenecks by improving handling efficiency, streamlining customs procedures and developing robust cold chain infrastructure to support the needs of perishable cargo,” explained Mr Arora.
However, he was confident of the market potential, adding that Indian perishables traders could gain lucrative business opportunities with an improved cold chain ecosystem in place.
A targeted Q1 start of Navi Mumbai International Airport, Adani Group’s flagship project outside Mumbai City, is expected to be a boon for the Indian air cargo industry, given its strategic location and advanced infrastructure that could make cargo flow more seamless, compared with the congested Mumbai Airport.
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