India Enhances Cargo Transshipment at Delhi Airport
In a significant advancement for the aviation sector, Union Minister for Civil Aviation Shri Ram Mohan Naidu inaugurated an expanded phase of India’s transshipment (TP) cargo reform today at the Transshipment Excellence Centre (TEC) at Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL). The initiative aims to alleviate longstanding operational challenges and improve efficiency, thereby enhancing the overall ease of doing business in the aviation industry.
During the launch event, Shri Ram Mohan Naidu highlighted the government’s commitment to improving the aviation sector under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. He addressed the critical issue of mandatory re-screening of transshipment cargo, which has been identified as a major bottleneck in cargo handling. Eliminating this requirement is projected to significantly reduce turnaround times, handling costs, and congestion at cargo terminals. Notably, a proof of concept conducted on the Chennai–Delhi–Frankfurt route demonstrated a remarkable decrease in average transit time from 60 hours to just 20 hours.
The proof of concept for Domestic-to-International transshipment commenced on June 20, 2026, with Air India operating the end-to-end service. Since its initiation, the program has successfully transshipped 280 metric tons of cargo, achieving nearly full aircraft capacity utilization, increasing from 75% to almost 100%.
Building on this success, the minister announced an expansion of the network to include four additional domestic locations: Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, and Hyderabad, along with two new international destinations: London and Copenhagen. This expansion is anticipated to boost Air India’s monthly cargo capacity on these routes from 1,763 metric tons to an impressive 3,183 metric tons, marking an 80% increase.
The minister emphasized the broader ambition of positioning India as a global cargo transshipment hub, leveraging the country’s strategic geographical location. While the immediate focus is on Domestic-to-International transshipment, future plans include enhancing International-to-International and International-to-Domestic transshipment capabilities.
This reform is part of a larger initiative to transform major Indian airports into global transit hubs. Following the strengthening of passenger hub-and-spoke operations, the government is now turning its attention to developing India’s air cargo hub capabilities.
Previously, a revised framework was established through Addendum-II to AVSEC Circular No. 6/2024 by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) on July 21, 2025, allowing the movement of secured transshipment cargo through dedicated Transfer Cargo Security Hold Areas (TCSHAs) without re-screening, provided that strict security measures are followed.
Shri Ram Mohan Naidu expressed gratitude to all stakeholders involved in this successful reform, including DIAL, BCAS, CISF, airlines, and Customs, for their collaboration in overcoming a significant operational hurdle and improving the competitiveness of India’s air cargo ecosystem.
Looking ahead, the government plans to include additional origin stations and international destinations under this framework, further solidifying India’s standing as a competitive player in global aviation and cargo logistics.
The event was attended by key officials, including Shri Samir Kumar Sinha, Secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Shri Vipin Kumar, Chairman of the Airports Authority of India (AAI), and senior representatives from various aviation and security agencies.
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