FedEx to invest ₹2,500 crore to build cargo hub at Navi Mumbai Airport

MUMBAI: FedEx will invest ₹2,500 crore to build a 300,000 sq. ft air cargo hub at billionaire Gautam Adani’s newly operational Navi Mumbai International Airport, the company said on Wednesday.

The investment comes after Mint earlier reported that the global courier major plans to begin freighter operations from Navi Mumbai as early as May, ahead of the temporary shutdown of cargo flights at Mumbai International Airport from 1 August. FedEx and NMIA did not respond to Mint’s queries.

The facility will function as a regional hub linking India with Southeast Asia, West Asia, Europe and the US, according to a company statement.

"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," said Jeet Adani, director, Adani Airport Holdings Ltd in the statement.

Bhavik Vora, partner at Grant Thornton Bharat, said the hub is not just additional capacity but a long-term resilience measure that strengthens continuity, diversification and network stability for exporters.

The facility is expected to improve throughput, aircraft turnaround and schedule reliability. Mumbai, India’s leading air cargo gateway for sectors like pharmaceuticals, electronics, perishables and gems, has faced congestion and slot constraints. A modern freighter-focused terminal can reduce dwell times, enable direct long-haul connectivity to Southeast Asia, West Asia, Europe and the US, and allow better consolidation of exports, Vora added.

Indian airports have together handled 3.3-3.7 million tonnes of air cargo in recent reporting years, according to estimates from EY. Cargo capacity at Navi Mumbai airport is expected to expand from 0.50 million tonnes in the initial phase to 3.25 million tonnes at full build-out.

India's competitiveness in global trade will increasingly depend on the reliability and speed of its logistical infrastructure, said Kami Vishwanathan, president FedEx Middle East, Indian subcontinent and Africa. “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.”

“I'm delighted to be on the first FedEx jet that landed in this airport this morning. Today is about more than just a new facility for FedEx. It reflects how India is evolving in the way it connects to global markets and how logistics is becoming a strategic enabler of trade and growth,” said Raj Subramaniam, chief executive officer, FedEx Corp. during the ground-breaking ceremony at the Navi Mumbai cargo terminal.

“In addition to increasing our operational capacity here, we are helping expand export corridors and strengthening service reliability for high-growth industries,” he said.

“Today is a special day, not just for NMIA or the Adani group, but for the city of Mumbai, the state of Maharashtra and, I believe, for India's place in the global logistics landscape. We are here to break ground on FedEx's first dedicated integrated cargo terminal in India,” said Jeet Adani, addressing media and guests attending the event in Navi Mumbai.

“It (the Navi Mumbai airport) has 29 hectares earmarked for cargo infrastructure, 10 dedicated freighter stands, and a fully automated cargo terminal with the capacity to eventually handle over 3 million metric tonnes of cargo annually,” said Jeet Adani adding that the airports’s combination of sea-port proximity, air connectivity, and purpose-built cargo infrastructure is very rare, not just in India but globally. “It is this convergence that makes NMIA a natural choice for a company like FedEx to build its India part,” he said.

The hub is expected to improve routing flexibility and transit-time predictability for high-value and time-sensitive shipments such as electronics, engineering goods, pharmaceuticals and perishables.

Navi Mumbai International Airport, a subsidiary of Adani Airport Holdings Ltd, began operations in December 2025 with services from India’s three largest airlines connecting slightly more than 10 cities.