Guwahati: Union Minister of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya M. Scindia said during the last 2 years of COVID times, the cargo sector has emerged as a promising area not just for Indian aviation but for global aviation as well. On May 10, he stated, "The Indian Cargo Sector has grown at a pace of 9-10 percent since 2013-14," he stated at the annual Air Cargo Forum India (ACFI) event.

"In recent years, the cargo sector has emerged as a viable field not just for Indian aviation but also for world aviation." Since 2013-14, the Indian cargo sector has grown at a 9-10% annual pace. "In the last two years, airlines' cargo income has increased by 520 percent," he remarked. "Indian Cargo income now stands at Rs 2,000 crore, with 3.1 million metric tonnages and a CAGR of 13%. India now has 21 international cargo ports and 35 local cargo terminals "he stated

Regarding the cargo sector's accomplishments, the minister stated that during the Covid era, we quickly increased from 7 cargo freighters to 28 cargo freighters in a three-year period.

The Minister also discussed the physical infrastructure for airports, which is necessary for cargo processing. The Ministry of Civil Aviation would invest almost INR 98,000 crores over four years to build new greenfield airports and expand current brownfield airports. The private sector will invest INR 62,000 crores, while the government of India would contribute INR 36,000 crores through AAI. The government will develop 42 brownfield airports and build three new greenfield airports through AAI, while the private sector will extend seven existing brownfield airports and build three new greenfield airports, including Navi Mumbai, Jewar, and Mopa.

 He elaborated on how this has opened opportunities in the country.  Scindia cited jackfruit from Tripura as having a market in the UK and Germany, while Assam's King Chillies and Lemon are now being supplied to London. This is a typical example of A2A, or Agriculture to Aviation, the connection of two apparently unrelated industries made possible by the provision of aviation infrastructure to rural portions of the country.

Air Cargo Forum India (ACFI) was founded on September 14, 2012, as an association of numerous players in the air cargo logistic supply chain trade and industry, including freight forwarders, airlines, airport operators, cargo terminal operators, and customs house agents, and express industry.