FedEx has broken ground on the construction of a fully automated air cargo hub at Navi Mumbai International Airport, marking a major logistics investment in western India.
The planned 27,870m2 facility represents a long-term investment of more than ₹2,500 crore (US$275m) and is being developed in partnership with Adani Airport Holdings Ltd. Once operational, the hub is expected to create more than 6,000 direct and indirect jobs across logistics, warehousing, transportation and related services.
The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by Devendra Fadnavis, chief minister of Maharashtra; Raj Subramaniam, president and CEO of FedEx; Richard Smith, CEO of FedEx’s airline division and COO of international operations; Kami Viswanathan, president of FedEx Middle East, Indian Subcontinent and Africa (MEISA); and Jeet Adani, director of Adani Airport Holdings.
The hub will function as a regional consolidation and redistribution center, connecting India with Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the USA.
According to Adani Airport Holdings, the project is intended to strengthen the role of Navi Mumbai as a logistics gateway by linking aviation infrastructure with nearby industrial corridors and maritime trade routes.
Adani said, “This development reflects NMIA’s long-term vision of building integrated infrastructure that strengthens India’s trade competitiveness. With its proximity to Jawaharlal Nehru Port, industrial corridors and multimodal transport networks, NMIA is uniquely positioned to support high-growth export sectors and enhance Maharashtra’s role as a global logistics gateway.”
The facility will incorporate automated sorting systems, dimensional scanning and high-speed screening technology, along with dedicated aircraft parking bays. These systems are intended to allow simultaneous processing of inbound and outbound shipments while improving routing flexibility and transit time predictability.
FedEx said the hub will support sectors that rely on fast international logistics, including electronics, engineering goods, pharmaceuticals and perishable products. The facility is also expected to support export-import activity for micro, small and medium enterprises by improving reliability and reducing logistics costs.
Viswanathan commented, “India’s competitiveness in global trade will increasingly depend on the reliability and speed of its logistics infrastructure. Establishing this hub at NMIA allows us to integrate global network strength with India’s fastest-growing trade corridor, providing greater certainty, speed and efficiency to customers.”
Cargo operations at Navi Mumbai International Airport are expected to begin with an annual handling capacity of about 0.5 million metric tons, with plans to expand to approximately 2.6 million metric tons as development progresses.
The new hub will expand FedEx’s presence in India, where the company has operated for nearly three decades, while supporting the airport’s role as an integrated air freight and logistics platform.
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