Sunil Kohli, Managing Director, Rahat Cargo says, “Our government has all along been encouraging the shippers to accelerate their export activities which creates an economical growth within the country apart from yielding substantial foreign exchange. However, levying a GST on export products has resulted in an additional & avoidable financial liability on the exporters majority of whom have already been facing the fiscal roadblocks on various heads. And consequently, the businesses especially the SMEs have to encounter enhanced compliance requirements with multiple deadlines leading to higher administrative cost. The GST has many complexities with assorted tax rates & rules making it difficult for an average exporter to navigate without professional assistance which entails extra expenses. Moreover, certain products & services have become more expensive due to higher GST. Also, the GST portal has frequent technical glitches. It is therefore felt that the exports should be kept out of the GST regime.”

Arun Kumar, President, Association of Multimodal Transport Operators of India (AMTOI) says, “Rent-seeking behaviour is detrimental to any economy, especially one aspiring to be the third largest globally. Imposing taxes on exports or their components undermines cash flow for the MSME-dominated freight forwarding sector, which operates on razor-thin margins of less than 2%. With an 18% GST outlay and delayed reversals, their margins are decimated. This ill-conceived levy under GST is crippling agri-exports by air and jeopardizing the freight forwarding community’s survival.

Satish Lakkaraju, CEO, NexGen Logistics, Garudavega shares, “The introduction of 18% GST on air freight is significantly impacting the trade, logistics, e-commerce sectors, and causing distress among cargo agents and courier companies. This tax hike is driving up operational costs, resulting in higher freight charges for both businesses and consumers. Additionally, C2C (customer-to-customer) customers are unable to claim GST credit, making it an additional, non-recoverable cost. Since ocean freight is taxed at 5%, we recommend reducing the GST on air freight to be 5% as well, ensuring parity and easing the financial burden across the industry.”

“The imposition of 18% GST on air freight is a major setback for the trade, significantly increasing logistics costs and hampering India’s competitiveness in global markets. Cargo agents are deeply distressed, as this move threatens their sustainability amidst already tight margins. Lot of money / refund is pending of agents as the process of refund is manual and time consuming. The industry urges the government to reconsider this decision to promote ease of doing business and support India’s vision of becoming a global logistics hub.”

Adani Gangavaram Port inaugurated its new Railway Crew Lobby with a modern Crew Management System (CMS) facility at its R&D yard to significantly enhance cargo handling, storage, and dispatch operations. The facility was inaugurated by Manoj Kumar Sahoo, DRM, Waltair Division, East Coast Railway, in the presence of the CEO of Adani Gangavaram Port and senior officials from the port and the railway sector.  By enabling railway crews to directly take charge of loaded trains from the port’s Receipt and Dispatch yard, this facility will streamline operations, minimize delays, and increase crew availability and mobility. An official statement by Adani Gangavaram Port stated, “We are extremely delighted on the inauguration of this Railway Crew Lobby indicates a vital moment in our commitment to operational excellence and the well-being of our valued railway crew. This state-of-the-art facility expresses our dedication to enhancing safety, comfort, and efficiency within our operations. By providing a modern and well-equipped space for our crew to rest and prepare, we empower them to perform at their best, ensuring the safe and timely movement of goods across our network. This investment underscores our unwavering focus on continuous improvement and our commitment to playing a vital role in India’s thriving logistics sector.”  

  The Delhi Customs Brokers Association (DCBA) received the CONCOR Exim Star Award for its outstanding trade facilitation initiatives in Delhi NCR region since its formation 62 years ago. The award was presented by Sanjay Swarup, CMD CONCOR in a glittering Customer Felicitation Day held recently.  Large number of cargo and logistics industry fraternity, and government officials from the Ministry of Railways/other allied ministries participated. “This special day is our humble attempt to express our sincere gratitude for the trust you have placed in us. Your continued partnership has been the cornerstone of our success and has empowered us to become a leading name in logistics solutions,” said Swarup. Devendra Singh Bhadoria, President DCBA said that this recognition shows strong bond between DCBA and CONCOR in facilitating the EXIM trade. He also commended CONCOR for its valuable end-to-end logistics services to the Exim trade across the country. Bhadoria assured full cooperation to CONCOR in achieving the Govt. of India’s target to reach a $5 trillion economy by 2027 and ‘Vikshit Bharat’ by 2047. Also, present on this occasion were DCBA Special Advisor N.G. Pillai, Vice President Ram Naresh Yadav, Hony. Joint Secretary, Rajesh Kumar Sharma, managing committee members Davender Lal Pipil, Mohit Sharma and Member Sumit Dhingra.

Chaitanya Projects Consultancy is developing the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for two signature bridges that will transform connectivity in the Chilika Lake region under the Bharatmala Project. These bridges will provide seamless and sustainable connectivity between Satapada and Janhikuda, addressing long-standing transportation challenges and driving economic and community development in Odisha. Chilika Lake, renowned as the largest coastal lagoon in India, has long grappled with unreliable transportation, impacting both local communities and tourism. The proposed bridges will seamlessly integrate modern infrastructure with ecological preservation, ensuring reliable year-round access while respecting the natural beauty of Chilika. “We are honored to contribute to a project of such transformative potential,” said Sanjay Kumar Sinha, Founder and Managing Director of Chaitanya Projects Consultancy. “The DPR for these signature bridges will pave the way for sustainable progress, connecting communities, unlocking economic opportunities, and boosting tourism. This initiative reflects our commitment to delivering impactful infrastructure that harmonizes with its surroundings and empowers generations to come.” Designed with eco-friendly and disaster-resilient solutions, the project emphasizes sustainability at every stage. Beyond improving connectivity, the bridges will create economic opportunities, stimulate tourism, and uplift livelihoods, aligning Chilika with Odisha’s broader economic vision. Chaitanya Projects Consultancy’s expertise in innovative and sustainable infrastructure solutions ensures that this project will not only meet immediate needs but also preserve the region’s ecological significance for the future.

The Indian government and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a $350 million policy-based loan under the second sub-programme of the Strengthening Multimodal and Integrated Logistics Ecosystem (SMILE) programme. This agreement represents a pivotal step towards revolutionising India’s logistics sector. This initiative, in collaboration with the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) under the Ministry of Finance, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and ADB, seeks to position India as a global leader in efficient, resilient, and sustainable logistics systems.

China Airlines has announced plans to order four 777-8 freighters with deliveries expected from 2029 for global operations. The new generation freighters will be used for long-haul cargo routes to North America and Europe. The 777-8Fs will join the current fleet of 777F. China Airlines said in a statement, “The next-generation 777-8F freighter has the same cargo hold specifications as the 777F fleet and will offer more operational and dispatching flexibility. Increased range and payload will provide synergistic benefits to the mixed fleet and enhance the cargo capacity of China Airlines.” According to China Airlines’ website, as of October 31, the airline had 17 freighters in its fleet, including nine Boeing 777Fs and eight Boeing 747-400Fs.

TIACA has signed a joint declaration supporting the launch of the ‘Aviation 4 All industry’ declaration developed by the International Aviation Forum (IAF). The declaration was developed by the IAF to set out clear goals to achieve sustainable growth and prosperity within the industry. So far over more than 40 organisations have signed up. The declaration sets out several goals for the aviation industry, including: delivering on environmental commitments to provide a “net zero” industry; enhancing the workplace to establish an inclusive and diverse working environment; increasing connectivity to enhance global accessibility; working with governments to enhance safety and security; and integrating throughout the value chain to provide an improved customer and shipper experience, adopting seamless technology-based solutions. It also aims to develop a customer-centric culture; improve operational performance; deliver financial efficiencies; and enhance the overall positive impact that commercial aviation has on society. “We are thrilled to be invited to support initiatives such as the Aviation 4 All vision as it confirms the value the global aviation community sees in what TIACA is doing to support the air cargo industry and the declaration’s contents are fully aligned to what we see as being vital for the sustainable growth and development of our industry,” said Glyn Hughes, director general.