CK Govil, Chairman and Managing Director of Activair Airfreight India, shares his views on the India–EU Free Trade Agreement, he sees it as a structural gamechanger that will significantly boost bilateral trade through reduced tariffs, harmonised regulations, and smoother customs processes. “I believe the agreement creates strong momentum for selectively scaling operations by strengthening EU-focused trade lanes, enhancing compliance capabilities, and investing in value-added services such as temperature-controlled logistics and time-definite deliveries—particularly for pharmaceuticals, perishables, engineering goods, and high-value manufacturing. Govil emphasises that freight forwarders and airlines must prepare for higher volumes and more demanding service expectations through investments in digitalisation, specialised infrastructure, sustainability, and capacity planning. While Western and Central Europe—including Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, and Eastern Europe—will be key growth markets, I am cautions that ongoing geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East could cause short-term disruptions, reinforcing the importance of route diversification, contingency planning, and agile supply chain strategies.”
