Air India SATS partners with Afcom for freighter operations at upcoming Noida airport

Mumbai, Sep 17 (PTI) Gateway and cargo handling services operator AISATS on Wednesday said that it has partnered with Chennai-based cargo airline Afcom for freighter operations at the upcoming Noida International Airport.

The collaboration, reached through an initial pact with the Air India SATS Airport Services (AISATS) wholly-owned special purpose vehicle AISATS Noida Cargo Terminal Private Limited (ANCTPL) is aimed at transforming Noida International Airport into North India's premier cargo gateway, complementing major hubs like Delhi and Mumbai, and advancing India's ambition to become a global trade powerhouse, the company said in a statement.

The partnership signals a strategic leap in India's cargo ecosystem, as AISATS' combines its infrastructure capabilities with Afcom's growing international freighter network, it said.

AISATS is a joint venture between Tata Group-owned Air India and Singapore's SATS Ltd.

"This memorandum of understanding with Afcom Holdings is fundamentally reshaping how North India connects with global trade. With Noida International Airport's strategic location and sophisticated infrastructure, our Integrated cargo terminal will become a central link within global supply chains," said Ramanathan Rajamani, CEO at AISATS.

Together, with Afcom, he said, the company is confident of delivering seamless, efficient, and competitive logistics, contributing significantly to economic growth, job creation, and reinforcing India's role in international trade under the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.

The collaboration provides a sustainable solution for electronics, perishables, auto components, and temperature-sensitive goods, delivering efficiency and competitive advantage to Indian exporters while attracting foreign investment into the logistics and manufacturing sectors, AISATS said.

"We have partnered with AISATS to launch our freighter operations at Noida International Airport. This collaboration represents a strategic expansion of our network and strengthens our ability to serve high-growth markets with enhanced efficiency," said Deepak Parasuraman, Managing Director, Afcom Holdings Ltd.

Spanning 87 acres,the cargo hub will include a 30-acre Integrated Cargo Terminal with an initial capacity of 250,000 MT per annum and a 57-acre Integrated warehousing and logistics zone. PTI IAS MR