The GMR Group operated airport received approval from the government on February 7, allowing it to serve as a cargo transshipment hub between Bangladesh and other global destinations for export cargo.
In a development, which will enhance the potential of the country to emerge as a transshipment hub for air cargo, Delhi International Airport on Friday received the first batch of transshipment cargo from Bangladesh bound for Spain.
The GMR Group operated airport received approval from the government on February 7, allowing it to serve as a cargo transshipment hub between Bangladesh and other global destinations for export cargo.
“The decision by the government is expected to boost the national economy while reducing the shipment cost significantly for manufacturers and increasing the daily export of international cargo via Delhi Airport including ready-made garments (RMG), handlooms, footwear, leather products, jute products, and pharmaceuticals,” Delhi International Airport said in a statement.
Transshipment hubs are points wherein the ports of origin and destination of the air cargo are located outside the boundaries of the country. Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has been calling for the sector to undertake efforts to make India a transshipment hub for air cargo given the country’s ideal location serving as a mid-point between Europe, Central Asia and South East Asia, Far East Asia.
“Since Bangladeshi manufacturers rely heavily on India for raw materials including threads, textiles, jute, leather, and pharmaceutical raw material, any boost in exports will directly result in an increase in demand for produced-in-India raw materials in Bangladesh,” Delhi International Airport said.
Bangladesh manufactured ready-made garment products are in demand in Germany, the UK, France, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Denmark, parts of Eurasia, and in the US and Delhi International Airport has well established air cargo connectivity with these countries.
The transshipment cargo has reached from Dhaka to Delhi, via the Bangladesh-India border at Benapole (Bangladesh) and Petrapole (India) in West Bengal. The cargo will undergo security clearance and get uploaded on an aircraft on Sunday for Spain.
“With this initiative, Delhi airport is on its way to becoming the international cargo hub of the world, serving as a transshipment center between East and West. Globally, most manufacturing happens in South and South-East Asian countries, which lack freight and cargo handling capacity. This is where Delhi airport can help nations come together, help businesses and economies of neighbouring countries prosper,” said Videh Kumar Jaipuriar, Chief Executive Officer, Delhi International Airport Ltd.
Delhi International Airport has two integrated cargo terminals having an annual cargo handling capacity of 1.8 million metric tonne, which is scalable to 2.3 million metric tonne.
