“The ACFI Conclave is About Putting India’s Air Cargo Industry at the Center of Global Attention” says ACFI President Yashpal Sharma

The event, marked by an enthusiastic turnout, underscored the industry’s anticipation for a transformative gathering. The ACFI Annual Conclave 2024 aims to energize the air cargo community by bringing together all relevant stakeholders, including airports, GSAs, carrier partners, shippers, regulators, policymakers, and government authorities. This iconic event is set to shape a vision for a prosperous, innovative, and resilient Indian air cargo sector by fostering collaboration and driving economic progress.

Satish Lakkaraju (ACFI’s Event Management Chairman) began the briefing with an overview of the upcoming Conclave’s key business sessions and overall agenda. He emphasized the importance of the event in addressing critical issues facing the air cargo industry. “We have a power-packed schedule aimed at discussing and resolving some of the most pressing challenges in our industry,” he stated. Lakkaraju also announced that Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, Indian Minister of Civil Aviation, has confirmed his presence as the Chief Guest at the ACFI Conclave 2024.

Among other dignitaries and supply chain leaders to attend, Mr Vumlunmang Vualnam (MoCA), Mr Zulfiqar Hasan (BCAS), Dr Surendra Ahirwar (DPIIT), Mr Piyush Srivastava (MoCA) and Mr Sanjay Agarwal (CBIC) will be the Guests of Honor and Mr Kapil Kaul (CAPA India) will be the Keynote Speaker.

ACFI President Yashpal Sharma took the dias to deliver a powerful and optimistic message about India’s future in the global air cargo market. “India is gearing up for a major air cargo boom,” Sharma declared, highlighting the extensive preparations underway to position India as a central hub for global air cargo. He outlined the strategic planning and measures being implemented to elevate India’s standing in the global logistics landscape. Sharma painted a bright future for the industry, emphasizing the significant opportunities that the world sees in India. He projected a substantial increase in air cargo volumes and expressed confidence in achieving ambitious growth targets despite some skepticism. “The ACFI Conclave is about putting the Indian air cargo industry in the center of global attention. We want that when the world looks at what India today holds as a promise for their growth, India’s air cargo ecosystem needs to showcase that it is ready for whatever the customer demand is,” Sharma stated.

The curtain raiser also highlighted strong international interest in India’s air cargo sector…Sharma emphasized the importance of collaboration among all stakeholders to unlock the potential of both international and domestic freight movements. Sharma underscored the critical need for government support in achieving these ambitious targets. He advocated for the full implementation of the open sky policy for cargo operations and the adoption of a transshipment policy to match global standards. “From the government’s side, we really require the open sky policy in full to achieve the capacity. We also need the government to adopt the transshipment policy and the processes to supplement it, both of which are at par with global counterparts,” Sharma stated…Sharma concluded, “We will make sure that we build the blocks on which India’s air cargo’s macro picture will be created. I think India is getting its rightful position in the world.”