en.Wedoany.com Reported - Noida International Airport in northern India recently completed its inaugural cargo flight, providing a new regional alternative gateway for air cargo stakeholders amid capacity constraints at Delhi Airport.
Noida International Airport, located near the capital, achieved its cargo maiden flight this week, a development project previously awarded to Zurich Airport for operation.
AISATS—a joint venture between Tata Group's Air India and Singapore-based ground handler SATS—has secured a 20-year concession for cargo handling operations at the airport. The inaugural flight departed from Chennai, operated by domestic cargo airline Afcom Holdings, which has established a strategic partnership with AISATS to gain a foothold in cargo operations at Noida International Airport. Data shows that Afcom entered the air cargo market in 2022 and currently operates a fleet of three 737 freighter aircraft.
Sources noted that the Noida cargo terminal offers multiple strategic advantages: proximity to dedicated freight corridors in the eastern and western parts of the country, as well as access to a vast hinterland. Shailendra Bhatia, airport liaison officer, stated that Noida International Airport is far more than an aviation asset; it is a strategic logistics turning point for northern India, being purposefully developed as a comprehensive "aerotropolis." According to him, the new cargo terminal has the potential to absorb a significant portion of northern region trade currently transported via Delhi.
The terminal features an 87-acre multimodal cargo hub, with an initial estimated annual handling capacity of approximately 255,000 million metric tons, expandable to 1.8 million tons in the future. The hub is also supported by a 57-acre integrated warehousing and logistics zone. Noida International Airport's cargo handling capacity is initially estimated at 2 million tons, to be phased up to 8 million tons per year. Given the vast catchment area in northern India, its long-term growth prospects are viewed favorably.
Bhatia stated that the launch of cargo operations at Noida International Airport is expected to ease congestion at the saturated Delhi air cargo terminal, unlocking significant export potential for western Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, and northern Rajasthan. Northern Indian exporters had previously been frustrated by growing airline capacity constraints and cargo congestion in Delhi, with pressure further exacerbated by Bangladesh garment transshipment cargo facilitated through a bilateral arrangement—which was revoked in April 2025.
Other logistics industry players are optimistic about the new gateway. Jitendra Srivastava, CEO of Mumbai-based Triton Logistics & Maritime (Abrao Group), told The Loadstar that the development of world-class air cargo infrastructure in northern India is expected to strengthen the region's position as a key trade and logistics hub by improving connectivity between major manufacturing and consumption centers. Better access to SAARC, Middle Eastern, and Asian markets will create new opportunities for exporters, particularly in industries reliant on speed, reliability, and global market access. Vineet Malhotra, co-founder and director of Mumbai-based Kale Logistics Solutions, stated that Noida International Airport (also known as Jewar Airport) will help transform the northern region into a critical logistics and aviation hub.
Latest data shows that despite widespread supply chain disruptions caused by the Middle East conflict, India's air cargo trade continued to record strong growth in April—with international volumes up 40% year-on-year and overall growth of 10%. Meanwhile, the Navi Mumbai International Airport, operated by the Adani Group, launched domestic passenger flights in late 2025 and is expected to begin cargo services on July 15, seen as another boost for Indian air cargo.
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