Emirates SkyCargo is expanding its operations in India with the deployment of two additional weekly freighters, reinforcing its four-decade-long presence in the market. One freighter will operate to Mumbai and the other to Ahmedabad, adding capacity to meet growing demand from Indian businesses and exporters.

The cargo arm of Emirates continues to strengthen key trade lanes, connecting Indian companies with partners, suppliers, and customers worldwide. With this expansion, Emirates SkyCargo will offer an average uplift of 3,000 tonnes every week.

At present, Emirates serves India with three weekly freighters, one to Mumbai and two to Ahmedabad, alongside bellyhold capacity on 167 passenger flights operating to nine gateways across the country. The new freighter service to Mumbai will launch on 4 March 2026 and will operate via Dubai and Singapore. The additional Ahmedabad service will be a direct and dedicated freighter, also commencing in March 2026. Both aircrafts are expected to carry key commodities including pharmaceuticals, fresh fruits, vegetables, other perishables, and personal electronic devices.

Beyond India, Emirates SkyCargo will also deploy a dedicated weekly freighter to Dhaka, Bangladesh, from April 2026. This further expansion underlines strong regional demand and the airline’s continued commitment to 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 grow at pace. India’s exports to the UAE are expanding faster than overall export growth, supported by Emirates SkyCargo’s weekly movement of goods. This includes around 600 tonnes of pharmaceuticals, 500 tonnes of perishables, large volumes of garments, textiles, and clothing, along with an increasing share of personal electronics such as mobile phones, laptops, and tablets.

In addition to air capacity, Emirates SkyCargo has built a wide trucking network to reach offline destinations across India. During 2025, more than 1,000 Emirates SkyCargo trucks transported close to 5,500 tonnes of cargo nationwide. These shipments included automotive and aircraft spare parts, clothing and textiles, machinery, tools, spices, and even a satellite. Temperature-controlled reefer trucks were also deployed to safely move pharmaceuticals and medical equipment.

The airline has recently added Coimbatore and Goa to its road network as offline stations, opening up new global access for businesses in these regions. Coimbatore, in particular, is a strong manufacturing hub with a large base of SMEs across engineering, textiles, and automotive sectors, making this connectivity a meaningful boost to India’s export economy.

Since launching operations to Mumbai and Delhi in 1985, Emirates SkyCargo has steadily expanded its footprint and now serves nine Indian cities: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Thiruvananthapuram. Supported by India’s Cargo Open Sky policy for exports, the airline continues to extend its reach and strengthen outbound connectivity to its well-established global network.

This week, Emirates SkyCargo has also been actively participating in discussions and workshops at Air Cargo India, one of the industry’s leading events. Alongside meetings, networking sessions, and media briefings, the airline’s leadership joined panel discussions with industry peers to examine the rapid evolution of India’s logistics ecosystem over the past two years.

Adding to its achievements, Emirates SkyCargo was named International Airline of the Year at the STAT Times International Awards for Excellence in Air Cargo for the third consecutive year. The recognition reflects the airline’s continued focus on supporting global supply chains in an evolving trade environment.