Domestic passenger flights will reach their full 100% operation by March 2021, shared Minister of State (Independent Charge) Ministry of Civil Aviation Hardeep Singh Puri while addressing ACFI’s Annual Event on the theme of “Changing Consumption Patterns – Transforming Supply Chains” on 24th February 2021 as the Chief Guest.
Although all the sectors of economic activities have been seriously affected including the Civil Aviation sector, it was the air cargo logistics segment of the Indian Aviation sector that has proven to be resilient, Mr Puri observed.
He also shared that a degree of optimism has come up from IMF that in 2021-22 Indian economy will bounce back with 11% growth.
He further talked about how lifeline Udaan operation of MoCA has normalised the transportation of essential goods.
Some of the disruptive effect of the COVID pandemic is still visible but the Air Cargo Logistics Industry will bounce back soon to what it was in the pre-COVID period and much more, he said.
He also added that the government worked day and night during the initial period of the pandemic and has been successful in transporting 1500 to 1900 MT of medical supplies by air.
The virtual event by ACFI was held on the occasion of completing eight successful years of service to the Indian air cargo logistics industry.
Vandana Aggarwal Sr. Economic Advisor, MoCA talked about the National Air Cargo Policy Outline and how one of the unique features were the accomplishments of action plans during the COVID period. The contribution of ACFI & other associations was immense, she said.
She also promoted the “Open Sky Policy” for embedding Indian trade system and the requirement of creating transshipment facilities and operation of dedicated freighters.
She also delved on how the creation of Infrastructure facilities at the airports of the country have gone more than 3 times of actual cargo volume moving from and to India.
Ms Agarwal also talked about the Cargo IT platform infrastructure facilities that have served remarkably under COVID period and how with the help of digital processing, the industry started with 17% operation in Mar’2020 and reached up to 94% volume operation in Dec’2020 compares to pre COVID period.
She underlined the need of creation of transshipment hubs by the integrators for harnessing the needs of E-Commerce movement with speed.
“On the IT front, GOI introduced paperless, faceless assessments, etc. for processing digitally. Digital freight corridors & physical freight corridors have been planned. The target is to establish IT-driven global platform to become (India) an IT-driven aviation leadership”, she shared.
There were three Business Sessions organized in the event- 1. Changing Trends in e-Commerce Value Chain moderated by Tulsi Nowlakha Mirchandaney, Managing Director, Blue Dart Aviation and Board Member of ACFI, The second session “Future Trend in Fashion & Retail – 2021 & Beyond” moderated by Yashpal Sharma, Managing Director, Skyways Air Services and Vice President ACFI and Electronics Industry’s Evolving Supply Chain moderated by Glyn Hughes, Director General, TIACA with panelist speakers Peter Penseel, Chief Operating Officer Airfreight, CEVA Logistics, Dr. Pramod Sant, Vice President – Head of Import/ Export and Customs, Siemens Ltd, etc.
The Air Cargo Forum India (ACFI) has representation from the stakeholders of the entire air cargo logistics supply chain industry and works for the growth and development of the air cargo logistics industry within the progressive liberalized policies of the government for the rapid and sustainable growth of Indian economy.
