Pune Airport recorded its highest-ever freight volume in a single day, handling an unprecedented 144 metric tonnes of cargo between 6 a.m. on June 3 and 6 a.m. on June 4, 2025. This operational milestone signals a new era for the city’s logistics ecosystem and underscores its emergence as a critical air cargo hub in western India.
Airport officials confirmed that of the total cargo moved, 72.73 metric tonnes were inbound while 71.24 metric tonnes were outbound. The spike in freight traffic reflects not only the surging industrial activity in and around Pune but also a broader shift towards faster, air-based supply chain models across India’s manufacturing corridors.Industry observers attribute the rise to multiple converging factors. Pune’s flourishing auto components, IT hardware, and pharmaceutical clusters are driving higher volumes of time-sensitive shipments. Moreover, exporters from Maharashtra’s industrial heartland increasingly prefer air freight over road or rail to meet delivery timelines and global service-level agreements.
This growth trajectory has been enabled by the airport’s steady infrastructural upgrades. Over the past year, Pune Airport has expanded its cargo handling capacity and integrated digital tracking systems for better efficiency. Officials noted that the airport’s enhanced freight infrastructure was instrumental in meeting the logistics demands that led to the record-setting day.The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has also turned its focus on passenger experience. With the recent inauguration of the Elysian International Executive Lounge at the new Integrated Terminal’s international hold area, the airport now aligns more closely with international standards. This follows the addition of a new domestic lounge, placing Pune Airport on par with metro-grade terminals.
Handling over 10 million passengers annually, Pune’s airport is undergoing a quiet transformation that matches the city’s reputation as one of India’s fastest-growing economic and innovation hubs. While larger airports in Mumbai and Delhi command greater attention, Pune’s strategic location, industrial density, and growing infrastructure investment have made it a logistics asset of national relevance.Experts argue that this success must be sustained through eco-conscious planning. As air freight volumes grow, carbon emissions from increased cargo flights must be balanced through policy incentives for green aviation fuel, carbon-neutral terminal infrastructure, and better modal integration with rail and road logistics to reduce redundancy.
Nonetheless, this record reinforces Pune’s potential to play a more central role in India’s air logistics blueprint, especially as policymakers seek to decentralise freight operations away from overburdened metros.
As India’s ambitions rise in global manufacturing and trade, cities like Pune—with their hybrid advantage of industrial depth and improving connectivity—are well positioned to anchor next-generation logistics networks.
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