‘India needs modern freighters to meet 2030 cargo ambition’

Balagopal Balachandran, National Head, Air Freight, said, “With Indian export surge and e-commerce boom, this is the right time for carriers to invest in freighters tailored to specific cargo needs. K Ram Mohan Naidu, Union Minister for Civil Aviation, has highlighted the gap — the USA operates over 200 cargo aircraft, while India has only a handful. Beyond higher payloads, modern freighters offer technical advantages such as reinforced floors, oversized doors for heavy and outsized consignments, pallet-level RFID tracking, automatic weight-sensing, and door sensors to validate load build-ups. They also ensure dependable uplift schedules and load-factor economics, especially when belly-hold capacity is stretched due to rising demand and production delays. With India targeting 10 MMT of air cargo by 2030, a modern freighter fleet is not merely desirable — it is essential. Policy support, cargo-friendly airports, and incentives for P2F conversions can accelerate this shift and enable India to meet growing demand, while strengthening its position in global supply chains.”