The Air Cargo Forum of India’s Southern Region event ”South India Summit’ held on February 2nd, 2024, at Taj, Bengaluru Airport, was a resounding success, showcasing the collaborative efforts of leaders, experts, and stakeholders in driving the growth and advancement of the air cargo and aviation sectors in South India. The event was themed as ‘ South India: Connecting Horizons.’ The unique event was organised by collaborative efforts by ACFI Chapters of Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kerala. With 12 international and 21 domestic airports, the Southern states of India are set for a very well balanced Air Cargo ecosystem.
With esteemed dignitaries such as Dr. Shalini Rajneesh, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary cum Development Commissioner, Government of Karnataka as Chief Guest; Kajal Singh, IRS, Principal Commissioner Customs ACC & Airport, Bengaluru, Bhaskar Anand Rao, CFO – BIAL, and Pradeep Panicker, CEO – GHIAL gracing the event as Guests of Honour, alongside over 150 industry delegates from within air cargo and airlines, as well as leading media professionals, the summit provided an exceptional platform for knowledge sharing and collaboration to pave the way for the growth of Air Cargo sector in southern part of our country.
Welcome address was delivered by Chairman ACFI Bangalore Chapter – Fletcher Samuel, followed by ACFI President, Yashpal Sharma’s address. The Keynote speaker was Dhruv Lal, Partner, BCG and during his presentation, he emphasised how India is poised to become the 3rd largest economy of the world by the year 2030, by showcasing the various factors leading to our phenomenal growth as an economy. He also highlighted that our domestic consumption acts as a key growth driver for the economic growth of the country and the accelerating FDI that has doubled in the last seven years, coupled with the PLI scheme that caters to the sectors like: auto, pharma, solar equipment etc. which are very air cargo friendly.
The Chief Guest, Dr. Rajneesh commented during the inaugural session on the potential that the southern states hold for the whole world in terms of air cargo transport. She highlighted how in Karnataka alone there is immense scope for horticulture items to be marketed to customers globally, particularly perishables and cut flowers. She also highlighted the need to connect the producers from the hinterland to the airports. Dr. Rajneesh also expressed that cargo plays a very critical role when it comes to transporting the perishables and it is extremely important to understand how our Air Cargo stakeholders work with the producers and other logisticians of the state for timely movement and delivery of perishables.
The strategic business sessions, expertly curated by senior figures in the air cargo industry like Manish Agnihothri – CEO, WFS, Reshma Zaheer – Chief Operating Officer, TT Logistics & Cargo Pvt Ltd, and Satish Lakkaraju – Global Head Air Freight and Pharma, WIZ Freight, delved into key themes such as connecting supply chain horizons, identifying trends, challenges, and opportunities, and creating value within the air cargo ecosystem.
A highlight of the summit was the powerful fireside session led by ACFI President Yashpal Sharma and Vice President Sanjiv Edward, which underscored the pivotal role of South India in driving the growth of the Indian air cargo industry and enhancing global connectivity. It also focussed on how ACFI is set to pivot from being a facilitator to a ‘Business Developer’ for Air Cargo.
The significant representation from ACFI Governing Board Members and regional leaders further emphasised the importance and commitment to addressing regional challenges and opportunities within the air cargo sector.
Overall, the summit successfully fostered collaboration, discussion, and knowledge exchange, aimed at collectively addressing regulatory, technological, and environmental challenges, and driving sustainable growth and innovation in the air cargo & aviation segments within the Southern region of India.
A significant representation was seen from other ACFI Governing Board members including: Kamesh Peri, Keku Gazdar, Prasad Gengusetti, and other leaders of ACFI including Fletcher Samuel, Chairman – Bengaluru Chapter, V Chandra Kumar, Vice Chairman Bengaluru Chapter, Parul Kulshreshtha- Chairperson Hyderabad Chapter, Kamal Jain- Vice Chairman, Hyderabad Chapter, Manoj P Joseph- Chairman, Kerala Chapter among others.
