The two additional freighters to Mumbai and Ahmedabad are set to expand Emirates SkyCargo’s capacity for pharmaceuticals, perishables, and electronics, reinforcing India’s global trade links.
Emirates SkyCargo has deployed two additional freighters to India to meet the growing demand for air cargo services from hubs in Mumbai and Ahmedabad. The cargo arm of Emirates—the world’s largest international airline—announced the expansion on Thursday.
Currently, Emirates operates three weekly freighters to India, one to Mumbai and two to Ahmedabad, alongside bellyhold capacity in 167 passenger services to nine gateways. The new freighter service to Mumbai will launch on March 4, connecting Dubai, Singapore and India, while the Ahmedabad service will be a direct and dedicated freighter, also launching in March. Both freighters are expected to carry key commodities such as pharmaceuticals, fresh fruits, vegetables, perishables, and personal electronic devices.
“Our new freighter frequencies to India reflect 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.”
In addition to the freighters to India, Emirates SkyCargo will deploy a dedicated weekly freighter to Dhaka, Bangladesh, from April, further expanding its regional network.
The expansion comes as the third anniversary of the UAE‑India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) approaches, with bilateral trade booming. Every week, Emirates SkyCargo moves 600 tonnes of pharmaceuticals, 500 tonnes of perishables, a significant tonnage of garments and textiles, and a growing volume of personal electronics such as mobile phones, laptops and tablets.
Beyond aircraft capacity, Emirates SkyCargo has built a vast trucking network to reach offline destinations across India. In 2025, over 1,000 Emirates SkyCargo trucks transported nearly 5,500 tonnes of cargo, including automotive and aircraft spare parts, textiles, machinery, spices and even a satellite. Temperature‑controlled reefer trucks were also deployed to transport delicate pharmaceuticals and medical equipment.
Recently, Coimbatore and Goa were added to the road network as offline stations, unlocking new opportunities for businesses in these cities and surrounding regions to access global markets via Emirates SkyCargo.