India air cargo market seen reaching 6.9 million tonnes by FY2030

India’s air cargo and express logistics market is set for a hub-led expansion, with volumes projected to climb from about 3.9 million tonnes in FY2026 to 6.9 million tonnes by FY2030. Growth is being driven by pharma exports, e-commerce, new cargo hubs and airport investments, even as much of the country’s cargo-handling capacity remains underused.

Why it matters: - India’s air cargo market is growing faster in physical volume than in revenue, signaling rising demand for faster movement of high-value goods. - The shift matters for pharmaceutical exporters, e-commerce operators, airlines, airport operators and logistics investors. - Makreo Research projects air cargo volumes will rise from about 3.9 million tonnes in FY2026 to 6.9 million tonnes by FY2030.

What happened: - Makreo Research released India Air Cargo and Express Logistics Market and Forecast to 2031. - The report says India’s air cargo and express logistics market is entering a capacity-led growth phase. - Growth is being supported by pharmaceutical exports, electronics exports, e-commerce shipments, new airport cargo hubs and transshipment reforms. - The report is dated Nov. 4, 2026.

The details: - Makreo Research estimates airport cargo-handling infrastructure operated at 42.12% capacity utilisation in FY2023–24. - India is the sixth-largest air cargo market globally. - Air freight represents about 0.06% of India’s total freight transport activity, measured in tonne-kilometres. - Air cargo is critical for pharmaceuticals, electronics, perishables and express shipments. - The India air cargo and courier services market posted an estimated revenue CAGR of about 1.30% from FY2023 to FY2026E. - Northern India accounts for about 32.32% of India’s air cargo and courier services market revenue. - Delhi Airport handled about 0.63 million tonnes of cargo in H1 FY2027, up 12.2% year on year. - Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai together handled about 80% of India’s air cargo in 2024, according to IATA. - Hyderabad Airport handled about 102,000 tonnes in H1 FY2027, up 5.8% year on year. - Pharmaceutical exports exceeded USD 30.5 billion in FY2026. - Pharmaceuticals account for nearly 70% of outbound air cargo shipments. - The United States and Europe are the main destination markets for pharma shipments. - Hyderabad commissioned a second cargo terminal in May 2026 with a fully temperature-controlled pharmaceutical zone. - The terminal has an initial capacity of 50,000 tonnes and can expand to 100,000 tonnes a year. - India’s domestic air cargo approached 1.5 million tonnes in FY2026. - Tier-II and Tier-III cities accounted for over 45% of online shopping demand. - International express logistics remains export-led, with exports making up about 75% to 80% of shipments. - Daily export consignments reached about 45,000 to 48,000 by FY2026, compared with roughly 12,000 imports. - Makreo Research estimates technology-driven air freight and multimodal networks serving smaller cities could grow by more than 20% annually. - Delhivery handled 325 million express parcels in Q2 FY2027, up 32% year on year. - Blue Dart reported 15% revenue growth and an 85% increase in profit after tax in Q1 FY2027. - India needs more than USD 170 billion in aviation investment through 2030. - That includes USD 24 billion for airport expansion and USD 150 billion for aircraft orders. - An additional INR 25,000 crore is expected for airport cargo infrastructure over the next five to seven years. - Noida International Airport began operations in June 2026 with initial annual cargo capacity of 200,000 tonnes, expandable to 1.5 million tonnes. - Navi Mumbai International Airport handled 11,853 tonnes of cargo from January through September 2026, including 6,477 tonnes of international freight. - FedEx is developing a 300,000 sq ft automated hub at Navi Mumbai with more than INR 2,500 crore in long-term investment. - FedEx is also building a USD 150 million Delhi facility that will raise processing capacity from 600 to 5,000 packages per hour. - Blue Dart Express opened a 250,000 sq ft multimodal logistics hub in Delhi in January 2025. - The Blue Dart hub can handle about 550,000 shipments daily. - UPS SCS India nearly doubled Delhi–Cologne air cargo capacity in June 2025 by deploying a Boeing 747-8 freighter.

Between the lines: - The report points to a bottleneck problem: India has demand for more air cargo movement, but utilization at existing infrastructure remains low. - The strongest growth may come from specialized hubs, temperature-controlled facilities and faster regional links rather than from capacity additions alone. - The concentration of cargo at a few metros suggests smaller airports could gain share if they can match handling speed and connectivity. - Pharma remains the clearest anchor for international freight because it needs time-sensitive, controlled handling and long-haul connectivity.

What's next: - Airports are expected to focus on higher cargo throughput, better utilization and stronger regional connectivity. - Express integrators and freight forwarders are expected to invest in automation, transshipment efficiency and multimodal networks. - Pharmaceutical and electronics exporters are likely to keep driving demand for specialized cargo facilities and reliable international links. - The market outlook through 2031 will depend on whether new hubs convert investment into sustained volume growth.

The bottom line: - India’s air cargo market is moving into an expansion phase, but the winners will be the operators that turn new infrastructure into faster, more efficient cargo movement.