India’s air cargo industry is bracing for a major disruption following Mumbai airport’s decision to close critical cargo infrastructure for nearly 10 months, a move that industry stakeholders say amounts to a de facto shutdown of freighter operations at one of the country’s busiest cargo gateways.
The concern arises from a communication issued by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) operator Adani Airports to airline partners, outlining extensive airside works that will require demolition and reconstruction of existing cargo-related infrastructure. According to the letter, the airport will construct Taxiway “E” and complete pavement reconstruction of Apron “G”, which has reached the end of its operational life.
Apron “G” is currently the only apron at Mumbai airport dedicated to freighter aircraft. Adani Airports stated that due to land constraints and the need to maintain uninterrupted passenger flight operations, freighter aircraft cannot be accommodated during the construction period, scheduled from August 2026 to May 31, 2027.
While the communication refers to the “closure of cargo infrastructure” and suspension of freighter operations, it stops short of explicitly stating that the cargo terminal itself will be shut. However, industry executives say the practical impact is the same.
“With no freighter apron and no alternative cargo infrastructure at the same airport, cargo operations simply cannot function,” said a senior cargo executive. “Call it infrastructure closure or apron reconstruction—it is a shutdown in practice.”
A critical national gateway at risk
Mumbai is among India’s top two air cargo gateways, handling around 80,000 tonnes of cargo every month, including international and domestic shipments. The airport serves as a crucial hub for exporters and importers across Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Goa, particularly for pharmaceuticals, perishables, electronics and engineering goods.
The Air Cargo Agents Association of India (ACAAI) has written to Adani Airports expressing deep concern over the planned suspension, warning that dismantling cargo infrastructure without alternate arrangements at the same airport could severely disrupt trade.
In its letter, ACAAI said that while it supports infrastructure upgrades, a prolonged halt in freighter operations at such a critical hub would reduce uplift capacity, push up freight rates and increase logistics costs for exporters and freight forwarders. The association also cautioned that airlines redeploying freighters to other hubs may not return quickly once operations at Mumbai resume.
“This goes far beyond routine airport modernisation,” Vikram Kumar, Vice President, ACAAI, told CNBC-TV18. “Demolition without a transparent, phased transition plan risks shutting down cargo operations altogether. This is not merely an infrastructure issue; it is a systemic capacity shock.”
Cargo flows already shifting
Industry executives stress that air cargo operations depend on an integrated ecosystem of freighter access, ground handling, customs, trucking and cold-chain facilities—most of which are currently concentrated at Mumbai airport.
With limited clarity on interim arrangements, cargo operators say customers are already exploring alternatives.
“Mumbai is a very important gateway for Indian air cargo,” said Yashpal Sharma of Skyways Group. “With approximately 80,000 tonnes a month, international and domestic combined, this airport is a top-two cargo gateway for India. Dismantling the current cargo infrastructure without any alternate arrangements at the same airport could mean disaster for customers in the catchment.”
Sharma added that the impact is already being felt. “Cargo moving to and from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Goa is now being discussed for diversion to gateways like Delhi, Bengaluru and Goa. Such a large-scale disruption is unprecedented in India and will increase costs for all stakeholders, ultimately hitting customers.”
Calls for urgent engagement
While Adani Airports has positioned the works as essential for long-term capacity enhancement and safety, the cargo industry argues that modernisation without continuity planning risks hollowing out Mumbai’s role as a cargo hub—even if only temporarily.
Industry players are now urging the airport operator to urgently engage with cargo stakeholders, spell out mitigation measures and clearly state whether cargo operations at Mumbai will be paused with safeguards in place or effectively pushed out during the construction window.
For India’s exporters and logistics sector, the concern is that once cargo flows migrate away from Mumbai, bringing them back may prove far more difficult than anticipated.
