Emirates SkyCargo will operate two additional freighter flights to Mumbai and Ahmedabad per week from March. This will increase its freighter flights to India to five per week.
West Asian carriers are deploying more freighters to India and expanding focus on specialised products to tap growing trade volumes.
Emirates SkyCargo will operate two additional freighter flights to Mumbai and Ahmedabad per week from March. This will increase its freighter flights to India to five per week. Oman Air and Etihad Airways too are considering introducing freighter service to India.
These developments come in the back of recent trade agreements boosting export volumes from India.
India-UAE annual trade volume has crossed $100 billion with the signing of comprehensive economic partnership agreement in 2022. A similar agreement was signed with Oman last December increasing export opportunities for Indian companies.
Trade agreement
Emirates SkyCargo is seeing benefits of the trade agreement with increase in carriage of textiles, gems, jewellery and machinery between India and the UAE.
“We are also seeing growth in pharmaceuticals, perishables, electronics and e-commerce shipments,” said Badr Abbas, Divisional Senior Vice-President, Emirates SkyCargo, on the sidelines of Air Cargo India event.
Emirates operates 167 passenger flights plus three freighter services to India and uplifts 3,000 tonnes of cargo each week. “We are seeing a growth in exports from India and that is why we are adding capacity to cater to the demand,” he added.
Emirates SkyCargo is also planning to expand its trucking network to Goa and Coimbatore to support cargo growth. Asked about the planned nine month suspension of freighter operations at Mumbai airport from August, Abbas said the airline will adapt its operations as per requirement. “Our five daily passenger flights to Mumbai will continue as usual,” he said.
Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways sees India as a core market for its cargo business and is stepping up its focus on perishable and pharma products to drive growth from India.
“Last year, we carried over 40,000 tonnes of export cargo from India which was 17 per cent higher compared to 2024. Pharma volumes from India increased by 89 per cent. We are strengthening our partnerships with forwarders and shippers to grow our volumes further,” said Vijayant Malik, Etihad’s area manager for cargo (Indian sub continent).
Published on February 25, 2026