India has emerged as one of the top three global cargo markets for Emirates SkyCargo, reflecting the country’s growing heft in high-value exports and global supply chains. The other two high priority markets for the airline are China and Southeast Asia.
The Dubai-based carrier currently uplifts around 3,000 tonnes of cargo every week to and from India, combining dedicated freighters and bellyhold capacity on passenger aircraft. Emirates operates 167 weekly passenger flights across nine Indian gateways using Boeing 777 and Airbus A350 aircraft, each carrying an average 20–25 tonnes of cargo depending on load and season.
Pharma Pulse
Pharmaceuticals are a key growth driver. India contributes about 600 tonnes of pharma shipments every week, making it one of the largest single-country sources within the Emirates network. More than 2 million kg of pharmaceutical cargo are transported annually, with six of the airline’s top 10 pharma trade lanes originating in India.
“India is a very important pharma market for us. Temperature-controlled infrastructure and reliability are critical for this segment,” said Jeffrey Van Haeften, Senior Vice President Cargo Commercial Worldwide, Emirates SkyCargo.
Perishables form another major pillar, accounting for around 500 tonnes weekly. Shipments include fruits, vegetables, seafood, flowers and poultry products, with seasonal peaks led by mangoes, grapes and chilled fish. Dedicated charters are deployed during peak mango season to manage the surge. The carrier has also recorded a 30% rise in high-value “vulnerables” such as personal electronic devices, largely driven by India.
March 2026 Expansion
To support rising volumes, Emirates will add two additional weekly freighters from March 2026 one each to Mumbai and Ahmedabad. The Mumbai service will operate on the Dubai–Singapore–Mumbai route, while Ahmedabad will see a direct dedicated freighter. The airline currently operates three weekly freighters to India.
Through its Dubai hub, Emirates offers around 9,000 tonnes of weekly capacity into Europe and 2,500 tonnes into the United States, giving Indian exporters strong access to key long-haul markets. Beyond metros, the airline moved nearly 5,500 tonnes via bonded trucking in 2025 from Tier-II hubs such as Goa and Coimbatore to major gateways. Scheduled 737 freighter charters by QuikJet Cargo further strengthen secondary city connectivity.
Passenger expansion remains capped by bilateral seat limits, making dedicated freighters the primary growth lever. Globally, Emirates will induct 12 additional freighters in 2026 that also includes two 777-300ER units converted from passenger versions. “With the additional freighter capacity, India has the potential to move even higher in our network ranking,” Van Haeften said.