Amazon expands air cargo service to Northeast India
Amazon’s in-house cargo airline has expanded its network in India to the northeast, launching new routes connecting the cities of Kolkata and Guwahati to Delhi and other regions with fulfillment centers, the company announced Friday.
The expansion is expected to improve delivery speeds by up to five times across all seven sister states – Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura – through an integrated air and surface multimodal network.
Northeast India has historically faced logistics challenges due to its geography. By adding dedicated air capacity, Amazon is reducing transit times that were previously constrained by road and rail connectivity. For sellers in the region, including those in horticulture and specialty produce, the expansion will enable more reliable access to customers nationwide. Businesses in the Northeast can now reach a broader customer base and participate more fully in India’s growing digital economy.
Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) flights from Delhi to Guwahati began on Jan. 19, according to aviation tracking site Flightradar24.
Amazon Air launched in India in early 2023 and now offers freighter service to at least 14 cities. It is the only dedicated air cargo network operated by an e-commerce company in the country. Third-party carrier Quikjet Cargo Airlines operates two Boeing 737-800 converted freighters in India, moving tens of thousands of packages daily on Amazon’s behalf.
Horticulture and specialty produce sellers, as well as artisans, are among those that will benefit from more reliable access to customers nationwide, according to Amazon.
The government of India has encouraged air cargo development in Northeast India. The 2026 budget includes money for building air cargo infrastructure and warehousing to strengthen logistics for perishable and high-value products in the region. Additionally, the value cap on courier exports has been removed, which is expected to help boost cross-border e-commerce.
Amazon has built out logistics capabilities in India since 2013. Its overnight routes connect major metro areas, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Pune. Amazon also operates about eight air-rail multimodal connections. In non-metro areas, Amazon leverages the belly compartments in commercial passenger aircraft. Amazon’s air network now serves more than 100 origin-destination pairs across India.
Unlike other regions where Amazon operates, India’s air network is built to support high-volume one-day delivery.
Amazon Air has an extensive air logistics network in the United States, with a smaller operation in Europe. It has about 100 aircraft in its fleet.
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Write to Eric Kulisch at ekulisch@freightwaves.com.
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