Cathay Cargo eyes bigger play in India as manufacturing and air freight surge

Cathay Cargo is set to scale up investments in India, betting on the country’s growing role as a global manufacturing and logistics hub. A senior executive of the Hong Kong-based air freight operator described India as a “very important” strategic market, citing strong cargo growth and supportive government policies.

The airline currently operates 13 freighter flights a week to India, with five services each to Delhi and Chennai and three to Mumbai. India has been central to Cathay Cargo’s network for decades, with freighter operations launched in 2000 and passenger and cargo services dating back to 1953.

According to Cathey Cargo, India has always been an incredibly important market for us and continues to demonstrate immense promise, as the company remains committed to deepening its footprint to ensure a strong and long-term presence.

Cathay Cargo sees initiatives such as Make in India and the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan as key enablers for sustained investment. These programmes aim to boost manufacturing, modernise infrastructure and reduce logistics costs through integrated planning, creating new opportunities across the supply chain as industrial output expands.

While the past few years have seen Asia-Pacific freighter operators cede some ground to Middle Eastern carriers, Cathay Cargo believes the shift is not necessarily negative, reflecting a more diversified and competitive air cargo landscape.

As of October 31, 2025, Cathay Cargo offered around 103,000 tonnes of capacity in the Indian market and recorded an 11% year-on-year increase in cargo uplift from the country. Delhi remains its strongest import market, followed by Chennai, while Mumbai leads on the export side.

India’s air cargo sector continues to grow rapidly. The country handled about 3.5 million tonnes of air freight in 2018, and the government has set an ambitious target of scaling this up to 10 million tonnes by 2030—underscoring the long-term growth potential that global cargo carriers like Cathay are looking to tap.