Navi Mumbai airport opens, offering a vital boost to India’s air cargo capacity and regional supply chain efficiency.
Commercial flight operations officially commenced at Navi Mumbai International Airport on 25 December 2025, marking a pivotal expansion of India’s aviation and logistics infrastructure. The inaugural arrival from Bengaluru landed at 08:00, followed by a departure to Hyderabad, initiating a dual-airport system for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
The facility is designed to function as a premier global logistics hub, offering critical advantages for the supply chain and air freight sectors:
- Freight capacity: The first phase establishes a handling capacity of 0.5 million tonnes of cargo annually, with a long-term target of 3.25 million metric tonnes.
- Multimodal EXIM links: Located 14 km from Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, the airport facilitates efficient sea-air transshipments and provides direct connectivity to major industrial corridors and the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation.
- Specialised cargo infrastructure: To support the pharmaceutical and perishable trade, the airport incorporates dedicated cold-chain facilities and temperature-controlled storage.
Developed as a public-partnership project involving Adani Group and CIDCO, the ₹19,650-crore airport currently operates on a 12-hour schedule. Full 24-hour operations are scheduled for February 2026, which will unlock vital nighttime windows for international freighters and express cargo services.
By decongesting the land-constrained Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, this new gateway aims to reduce ground handling delays and lower the total cost of logistics for exporters and freight forwarders across Western India.
SOURCE – THE HINDU
