Emirates currently serves India with three weekly freighters – one to Mumbai and two to Ahmedabad – as well as bellyhold capacity in 167 passenger services to nine gateways. The new freighter service to Mumbai will launch on 4 March 2026, and connect Dubai, Singapore and India, while the Ahmedabad service will be a direct and dedicated freighter, and also launch in March. The airline expects to carry key commodities such as pharmaceuticals, fresh fruits, vegetables and other perishables as well as personal electronic devices on both freighters.

In addition to the freighters to India, Emirates SkyCargo will also deploy a dedicated weekly freighter to Dhaka, Bangladesh, from April 2026. This further expands the airline’s freighter network, reaffirming the burgeoning demand and Emirates SkyCargo’s longstanding commitment to the region.

“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) nears, bilateral trade is booming, with India’s exports to the UAE growing faster than its overall export growth. Emirates SkyCargo supports the trade agreement, moving goods every week including 600 tonnes of pharmaceuticals, 500 tonnes of perishables, a significant tonnage of garments, textiles and clothing and a growing number of personal electronics such as mobile phones, laptops and tablets. 

Beyond aircraft capacity, Emirates SkyCargo has built a vast trucking network, to reach more offline destinations across India. In 2025, over 1,000 Emirates SkyCargo trucks transported almost 5,500 tonnes of cargo across India, carrying shipments such as automotive and aircraft spare parts, clothing and textiles, machinery, tools, spices and even a satellite. The airline also deployed temperature-controlled reefer trucks to transport delicate pharmaceuticals and medical equipment. 

The airline recently added Coimbatore and Goa to its road network as offline stations, unlocking new opportunities for businesses in these cities and surrounding areas to access global markets, via Emirates SkyCargo. Coimbatore in particular is a thriving hub of manufacturing and is home to a large number of SMEs working in engineering, textiles, automotive and more, so this access significantly contributes to India’s export economy. 

Since starting operations to Mumbai and Delhi in 1985, Emirates SkyCargo has significantly scaled its network, and now serves nine cities: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkota, Mumbai and Thiruvananthapuram. With the Cargo Open Sky policy for exports in India, the airline continues to grow its reach, strengthen outbound capabilities, and connect more primary and secondary cities to its well‑established global network. 

This week, Emirates SkyCargo has been participating in industry discussions and workshops at Air Cargo India, one of the industry’s premier events. In addition to a full schedule of meetings, networking events and media briefings, the airline’s leadership joined panel discussions alongside other industry leaders to explore the significant evolution in India’s logistics ecosystem over the last two years. Emirates SkyCargo was also named International Airline of the Year at the STAT Times International Awards for Excellence in Air Cargo, as voted for by the outlet’s international readers. The accolade, which Emirates SkyCargo received for the third consecutive year, is a testament to the airline’s commitment to facilitating the world’s rapidly changing supply chains.

The Emirates SkyCargo team, led by Badr Abbas, Divisional Senior Vice President, Emirates SkyCargo, accepted the award in Nairobi, on the sidelines of Air Cargo Africa 2025. The ceremony was also attended by other notable guests and leading members in the air freight and logistics industry.

Commenting on the recognition, Badr Abbas, Emirates SkyCargo’s Divisional Senior Vice President said: “Emirates SkyCargo is the benchmark for excellence in the global logistics industry, serving as a trusted partner that seamlessly connects the world. We are proud that our commitment to our customers, our focus on innovation and strengthening our operations with the best talent in the industry, has secured us the accolade of the world’s leading cargo airline, by one of the leading industry publications. We will continue work with key partners and customers to redefine the future of air cargo and contribute to the prosperity of the global economy, today and in the future.”

Emirates SkyCargo, the cargo arm of the world’s largest international airline, prides itself on solving the transportation challenges of its customers. For almost 40 years, the cargo arm has facilitated global trade to over 145 destinations across six continents, connecting businesses with their suppliers and customers worldwide via a mix of passenger aircraft and dedicated freighters. With an industry-leading portfolio of fit-for-purpose products, underpinned by state-of-the-art infrastructure, Emirates SkyCargo moves goods quickly, reliably and efficiently.

This week during Air Cargo Africa 2025, Emirates SkyCargo was central to the discussions around Africa’s growing prominence as a competitive player in global trade. In addition to a full schedule of meetings, networking events and media briefings, the airline’s leadership joined panel discussions alongside other industry leaders to explore the challenges and opportunities in Africa’s logistics network. Badr Abbas also provided an in-depth look at his vision for the future of the airline and an analysis of the 2025 forecast in a fireside chat, underscoring the airline’s confidence in air freight’s essential role in global trade.  

The Emirates SkyCargo team, led by Divisional Senior Vice President, Nabil Sultan, accepted the award in Mumbai, on the sidelines of Air Cargo India 2024. The ceremony was also attended by other notable guests and leading members in the air cargo and logistics industry.

Commenting on the win, Sultan said: “We are honoured to be recognized as the leading cargo airline by the premier industry publication and our customers around the world. This accolade reflects our commitment to make the world work better through continual innovation and development in our operations, and also the talent in our Emirates SkyCargo team who are instrumental in our ongoing success. We will keep raising the bar, to ensure Emirates SkyCargo remains a first-class partner for our global customers.” 

Emirates SkyCargo, the cargo arm of the world’s largest international airline, has been a thriving enabler of global trade for almost four decades. Serving over 140 destinations across six continents, the airline connects people and businesses to the goods they need with an industry-leading portfolio of purpose-fit products and state-of-the-art infrastructure at its dual-airport hub in Dubai.

This week, Emirates SkyCargo played a pivotal role in shaping the future of logistics in India and the wider region during the 2024 Air Cargo India conference. In addition to a full schedule of meetings, networking events and media briefings, the airline’s leadership joined panel discussions alongside other industry leaders to explore the challenges and opportunities on India’s journey to uplift 10 million tonnes of annual cargo throughput by 2030. Marking 10 years at the helm of Emirates SkyCargo, Nabil Sultan provided an in-depth look at the evolution of the airline and an analysis of the 2024 forecast in a fireside chat, underscoring the airline’s confidence in air freight’s essential role in global trade.