• Cargo Flash Infotech appoints new senior leadership to accelerate international expansion and support India’s growing digital air cargo ambitions.

• India’s ability to compete globally may depend on scaling digital cargo ecosystems—an area where Cargo Flash aims to lead through SaaS innovation and regulatory alignment.

India’s air cargo ambitions face a decisive test. While the country has invested heavily in airport infrastructure and policy initiatives, the real contest for global competitiveness will be fought in the digital domain. In a sector where customs clearance speed, data interoperability, and sustainability compliance increasingly define trade flows, the ability to build and scale digital cargo ecosystems may determine whether India can rival established hubs such as Dubai, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

Against this backdrop, Cargo Flash Infotech—a leading cargo technology firm headquartered in New Delhi—has announced a significant leadership reshuffle designed to accelerate its international expansion. The elevation of three senior executives—Saurabh Pathak as Chief Operating Officer (COO), Neha Kumari as Vice President of SaaS Products, and Poonam Faridi as Vice President of Platform Services—signals the company’s intention to position itself as a technology partner at the heart of India’s air cargo transformation.

The announcement, made on 28 August, underscores the growing recognition that digital platforms are no longer auxiliary tools but core infrastructure for trade. According to the World Bank, India’s logistics costs remain 13–14% of GDP, compared with 8–10% in advanced economies. Bridging this gap requires not only investment in runways and terminals but also seamless, paperless, and predictable digital systems across the cargo chain.

Digital transformation as a competitiveness lever

For Indian air cargo, efficiency bottlenecks often arise less from capacity constraints than from procedural frictions. Customs dwell times remain high, with risk-based processing still inconsistently applied. In contrast, hubs such as Dubai and Singapore have long operated on predictable, digital-first models, supported by 24/7 clearance, pre-arrival data integration, and unified cargo community systems.

Industry datasets reinforce the urgency. WorldACD figures show that India–North America and India–Europe corridors grew by 14% and 11 percent respectively in tonnage during the first half of 2025, driven largely by e-commerce and pharmaceuticals. Yet a majority of small and mid-sized exporters remain reliant on paper documentation. IATA estimates that full adoption of e-Air Waybills (e-AWBs) can reduce average processing times by 30%, potentially unlocking capacity without additional physical infrastructure.

Cargo Flash’s flagship platform, Octoloop, already integrates modules for reservations, warehouse management, e-commerce logistics, and revenue management. With the leadership reshuffle, the company appears set to scale its SaaS and platform services more aggressively to meet growing demand for end-to-end digital ecosystems that combine compliance, visibility, and operational efficiency.

Leadership depth and strategic intent

The company’s new Chief Operating Officer, Saurabh Pathak, brings three decades of experience across global carriers, including United Airlines, Qatar Airways, and Turkish Airlines. His career has been marked by regulatory engagement and operational scaling—skills that align with the current industry emphasis on compliance with regimes such as the EU’s Import Control System 2 (ICS2). As COO, his remit will likely extend to embedding AI-led decision systems to improve cargo forecasting and optimise network planning.

Neha Kumari, elevated to Vice President of SaaS Products, represents the growing convergence between product innovation and commercial agility. Having managed accounts for airlines ranging from FedEx to Ethiopian Airlines, she bridges traditional cargo sales and the emerging SaaS ecosystem. Her focus on revenue generation suggests Cargo Flash is preparing to monetise its platforms more aggressively in export-heavy corridors, where demand for real-time visibility and simplified returns processing is growing.

Meanwhile, Poonam Faridi, as Vice President of Platform Services, will focus on customer-facing processes and market adoption. Her background in GDS systems and airline distribution is particularly relevant as digital booking platforms increasingly intersect with cargo management solutions. For India’s ambitions to capture more e-commerce and perishables traffic—segments projected by IATA to grow at 15 percent and 6 percent annually, respectively—platform integration and user adoption will be decisive.

Implications for freight forwarders and carriers

The leadership changes at Cargo Flash are not just internal milestones; they reflect broader shifts in how India’s air cargo ecosystem may evolve. Freight forwarders and airlines operating in and out of India are under mounting pressure to adopt digital-first models to remain compliant with international standards. For example, the EU’s ICS2 requires advance cargo information for risk assessment, while shippers and carriers are increasingly under scrutiny to report verifiable emissions data.

Platforms like Octoloop can offer freight forwarders a route to compliance while reducing manual workloads. However, as policy analysts note, adoption hinges on governance. Without uniform national mandates on digital standards, forwarders often face fragmented systems across airports. Cargo Flash’s expansion, led by its new leadership team, could position the company as a key enabler in bridging these gaps—provided its solutions integrate seamlessly with customs and regulatory systems.

Policy and industry takeaways

From a policy perspective, the announcement highlights three strategic imperatives:

· Digital harmonisation: India’s cargo industry must accelerate toward full e-AWB adoption and standardised data-sharing frameworks. Private players such as Cargo

Flash will be instrumental in building the tools, but regulatory support is critical for scale.

· Capacity through technology: With physical infrastructure facing constraints, efficiency gains must come from digital solutions. AI-led forecasting, automated compliance, and seamless platform integration can free up capacity without new terminals or freighters.

· Global competitiveness: For India to compete with established hubs, its digital cargo solutions need to be exportable. If companies such as Cargo Flash can demonstrate success across diverse markets, it strengthens India’s case as a hub not just for cargo flows, but also for the technology that underpins them.

As Jasraj Singh Chug, Co-Founder and Director of Cargo Flash, noted: “Our people are our greatest asset, and these appointments reaffirm our belief in nurturing talent from within. Saurabh, Neha, and Poonam bring not only deep industry knowledge but also the passion, vision, and relentless commitment to excellence crucial for shaping Cargo Flash’s exciting future of growth and transformation.”

Outlook: India’s digital edge?

Cargo Flash’s leadership restructuring reflects a wider realisation: the competitiveness of India’s air cargo sector will hinge less on hardware—runways and terminals—and more on software that connects shippers, forwarders, carriers, and regulators. As global trade lanes become increasingly digitised, India’s ability to offer end-to-end visibility, compliance, and efficiency will determine whether it can rival Dubai, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

If the company succeeds in scaling its platforms internationally, it could set a precedent for India’s role not just as a cargo origin and destination, but as a technology provider shaping global cargo flows. For an industry grappling with volatility—from trade wars to sustainability mandates—that may prove to be India’s most significant competitive advantage.