Emirates SkyCargo expands India network with Freighters
Additional freighters strengthen India-UAE corridors and expand South Asia cargo capacity.
Emirates SkyCargo is expanding its footprint in India with the deployment of two additional weekly freighter services, reinforcing its four-decade commitment to the market and strengthening key trade corridors.
The cargo arm of Emirates will introduce one additional freighter to Mumbai and one to Ahmedabad in March 2026. The Mumbai service, launching on 4 March, will connect Dubai, Singapore, and India, while the Ahmedabad freighter will operate as a direct, dedicated service. The expansion increases capacity on routes already served by three weekly freighters, one to Mumbai and two to Ahmedabad, alongside bellyhold cargo capacity on 167 passenger flights connecting nine Indian gateways.
With an average uplift of 3,000 tonnes weekly from India, the airline expects the new freighter services to carry pharmaceuticals, fresh fruits and vegetables, other perishables, and personal electronic devices. The additional capacity comes amid sustained demand across India’s manufacturing, pharma, perishables, and e-commerce sectors.
In a further sign of regional growth, Emirates SkyCargo will also deploy a dedicated weekly freighter to Dhaka, Bangladesh, starting April 2026, expanding its freighter network and responding to rising demand in South Asia.
“Our new freighter frequencies to India reflects both the strength of India’s trade corridors and our long-term commitment to supporting them,” said Badr Abbas, Divisional Senior Vice President, Emirates SkyCargo. “India is a powerhouse of manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, perishables, and eCommerce and the demand for reliable and stable capacity continues to grow. These additional freighters bolster our existing operations by offering more connectivity and capacity to ensure we continue to serve our customers in India and across the globe.”
As the third anniversary of the UAE-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) approaches, bilateral trade between the two nations continues to accelerate. Emirates SkyCargo currently moves approximately 600 tonnes of pharmaceuticals and 500 tonnes of perishables weekly, alongside garments, textiles, and growing volumes of personal electronics, including mobile phones, laptops, and tablets.
Beyond air capacity, the airline has built an extensive domestic trucking network across India. In 2025 alone, more than 1,000 Emirates SkyCargo trucks transported nearly 5,500 tonnes of cargo nationwide, including automotive and aircraft spare parts, machinery, textiles, spices, and even a satellite. Temperature-controlled reefer trucks were also deployed for pharmaceuticals and medical equipment.
The addition of Coimbatore and Goa as offline trucking stations further extends the carrier’s reach, linking emerging manufacturing hubs and SME clusters to global markets via Dubai. Since launching services to Mumbai and Delhi in 1985, Emirates SkyCargo now serves nine Indian cities and continues to leverage India’s Cargo Open Sky policy to expand outbound connectivity.
This week, the airline is participating in industry engagements at Air Cargo India and was named International Airline of the Year at the STAT Times International Awards for Excellence in Air Cargo for the third consecutive year.
