In addition to FedEx, Challenge Air, Aerologic – a joint venture between DHL and Lufthansa Cargo – Atlas Air and Teleport will launch cargo flights. A cargo plane, also called a cargo plane, is an aircraft that carries goods instead of passengers.
Emails sent Monday to FedEx, Challenge Air, DHL, Lufthansa Cargo, Atlas Air and Teleport went unanswered. NMIA did not respond to Mint’s emails or phone calls seeking comment.
Fix the trigger
The Navi Mumbai International Airport, which commenced operations in December last year, is expected to handle cargo operations as Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) begins major repairs to the runway, taxiway and apron to support future operations.
Terminal G, used exclusively for cargo ships, will be completely rebuilt from August 2026 to May 2027 and will require temporary closure. This raised concerns among industry body Air Cargo Agents Association of India (ACAAI), which warned that exporters may divert air cargo via Delhi or Bengaluru as the new Navi Mumbai airport is yet to start international passenger traffic, Mint reported on 30 December 2025.
Connecting with passengers
NMIA is operated by Adani Airports Holding Ltd, part of billionaire Gautam Adani’s airport business, which said international passenger flights are expected to start in the first quarter of FY27.
ACAAI indicated that the simultaneous start of cargo and international passenger traffic is crucial for the smooth movement of cargo.
For example, if a cargo ship carries 20 tons of cargo but can only hold 15 tons, the remaining five tons are usually transported by passenger aircraft. Therefore, the option of international flights with passengers is crucial for cargo operations.
Capacity context
India’s airports have collectively handled around 3.3-3.7 million tonnes of air cargo in recent years, EY estimates. For context, Mumbai airport’s cargo capacity is about 1.45 million tonnes with a utilization rate of 62%, as per the September 2025 compliance report.
Key international cargo partners include FedEx, Challenge Air Cargo, Aerologic, Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines, among others.
The capacity of the Navi Mumbai cargo terminal from its inaugural phase to its final phase will increase from 0.50 million metric tonnes to 3.2 million metric tonnes, according to an earlier statement. The development of the airport is planned in five phases, with the completion of the first phase, which is designed to handle 0.5 million metric tons of cargo.
Logistic edge
The airport’s value “lies in its proximity to the country’s largest port ecosystem as it facilitates sea-air logistics, faster export cycles and reduces dependence on a single congested western airport,” said Bhavana Yerrumreddy, partner at EY India.
In addition, “the timing of the transition appears to be directly linked to the planned new runway carpeting and demolition of the cargo apron at CSMIA, which is likely to affect cargo traffic with priority given to passenger traffic during reduced operations. NMIA is likely to absorb more cargo traffic during this period to ensure continuity of operations,” said Ashish Chhawchharia, partner at Bharat Thornton.
Exporters will also have to initially bear the additional cost of shifting traffic from the old airport to NMIA, he added.
Rejection of industry
The planned suspension of freighter operations at the Mumbai airport is due to infrastructure constraints. Mumbai International Airport (MIAL), in a letter dated December 11 to stakeholders, said it has to carry out major repairs to the runway, taxiway and apron to support future operations.
The airport cited continued passenger traffic and ground constraints as reasons why no alternative cargo space is available.
In response, the ACAAI wrote to MIAL on 19 December asking for a reconsideration, warning that a complete shutdown could have an “adverse effect on the continued growth of Indian exports” and substantially increase freight rates.
“As the international flight operations at Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) will commence ahead of the scheduled airport works at CSMIA, we are confident of facilitating the transition for cargo cargo ships. To maintain cargo operations in the city and ensure uninterrupted passenger aircraft movements at the Mumbai airport during the upgradation of the airport’s infrastructure,” a NM person advanced timely readiness for the MintIA facility.