Samir J Shah, President, ACAAI, said, “Freighters are emerging as a vital enabler of India’s vision to become a global cargo hub.” He added, “Unlike pax aircraft, freighters can carry more volumes, making them game changers in scaling the nation’s trade capabilities. India can draw lessons from Hong Kong and Dubai, where strong, trust-based regulatory frameworks make compliance simple and predictable, fostering efficiency and reliability. Over the next decade, freighters and bellies play essential roles in domestic and global movements. As infrastructure and availability improve, the traditional perception that air cargo is expensive is likely to give way to a focus on convenience, speed, and reliability. Currently, India remains grossly under-capacitated in freighters. Streamlined processes and consistent space availability could shift smaller sea cargo shipments to air, boosting trade efficiency. Efforts are underway to harmonise regulations across key stakeholders — customs, BCAS, DGCA — ensuring smoother operations and a more integrated cargo ecosystem, positioning India to meet its ambitious trade and logistics goals.”
