According to H S Bhatia, chief executive officer of the Transport Corporation of India (TCI), a supply chain and logistics solutions provider, India’s transport networks are in dire need of an overhaul if the country’s freight markets are to grow. “Approximately 80 per cent of India’s international air cargo is transported from just four airports that are equipped with international air cargo terminals – Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai – even though the … [Read more...] about Infrastructure 6 years from int’l standards

In a report entitled, ‘Technology Survey for the Indian Logistics Industry – 2008’ conducted by Kale Consultants Ltd in partnership with Feedback Business Consulting Services Pvt. Ltd, reveals that new investments of INR 285.25 billion (US$5.7 billion) are expected at airports in the next four years to boost their IT requirements, according to Kale’s head of logistics,Sumeet Nadkar. “This is one of the segments where IT utilisation is maximum compared to other … [Read more...] about Indian logistics needs urgent IT investment

At one of the annual Air Cargo Agents Association of India (ACAAI) meet three years ago, a top cargo boss from Lufthansa outlined the three important factors that hindered the growth of air cargo in India. He put it simply as: “Infrastructure, infrastructure, infrastructure.” Today, those words sound prophetic. With the downturn and losses, carriers are no longer wooing passengers. The focus is now on air cargo and the government has, at last, woken up tothe need of enhancing and … [Read more...] about India moves to bridge infrastructure gap

The economic downturn’s vicelike grip may have largely spared India, but it has squeezed the country’s export-import sectors. Air cargo has been feeling the pinch for quite some time now. Gone is the hype and the air of overt optimism that was seen and heard just a few months ago where startup cargo airlines announced grandiose plans and established players went onrecord with grand expansion plans. For the air cargo business in the country, long content to remain on the sidelines, … [Read more...] about Global crisis clips wings of domestic upstarts