editorial

India has recently been ranked number one in emerging markets with greatest potential as per a survey that was part of the Agility Emerging Markets Logistics Index for 2019. India’s near-top ranking in several other categories, often second only to China, is also evidence of its ever-growing cargo and logistics market. As per the 2019 Index, India ranks second overall and maintains the same place in both domestic and international logistics opportunities.

In addition, survey respondents also conveyed their confidence in the emergence of the country’s logistics market. At 48.1 per cent, nearly half of those surveyed expect India’s e-commerce market to grow as fast as or faster than China’s online retail sector. On the air cargo front, India and Afghanistan have opened another air freight corridor connecting Herat to New Delhi to promote bilateral trade, bypassing Pakistan. Further West, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) is working with India’s Hyderabad Airport to develop pharma product flows on the back of growing demand for pharma trade flows to DFW. Furthermore, to ensure quality and standard in the transport of perishables, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has launched a new industry certification - CEIV Fresh. The recent announcement of Adani entering the aviation space by winning the bid for privatisation of five out of six airports brought us to delve into how privatisation of airports will help the air cargo industry in India grow. In our Cover Story, we focused on the risks involved in transporting dangerous goods and hazardous materials, and improvements that could be made. In another article, Northern India Steamer Agents Association (NISAA) has addressed challenges in the region’s hinterland connectivity and the way forward. On the global side, Maersk has witnessed an increased demand for refrigerated cargo from India coupled with improved trade relations with China with the introduction of favourable trade policies. This, in turn, has driven exports to grow a healthy three per cent in the fourth quarter. These developments prove that both government and industry are looking at the intricacies of the sector so it can be on a par with international standards.