As global trade volumes grow amidst increasingly complex regulatory, environmental and technological conditions, the logistics industry faces mounting pressure to overhaul its digital infrastructure. Experts across regulatory, academic, technological and freight forwarding sectors are emphasising that digital transformation is no longer a logistical upgrade—it’s a strategic shift essential for sustaining airfreight throughput, driving economic growth and meeting environmental goals.
Dr Stéphane Graber, Director General of FIATA, put it succinctly: “Digitalisation is not only about replacing paper. It is about building trust, simplifying operations, and enabling data access across a fragmented supply chain—without sacrificing security or sovereignty.”
Where freight meets friction
Global supply chains are paradoxical—highly interconnected yet deeply fragmented. Logistics depends on thousands of touchpoints, real-time decisions and coordination, often under unpredictable conditions.
“Logistics is inherently chaotic,” Parvinder Singh Chhatwal, Managing Director of Hans Infomatics Pvt Ltd, said. “We don’t need partial digitisation. We need end-to-end visibility. Push data, not paper.”
While the sector has made strides with electronic airway bills (e-AWB), RFID tracking and airport automation, progress is uneven. In India, e-AWB penetration exceeds 60 percent but still trails behind global standards, causing inefficiencies—especially at busy hubs like Delhi and Mumbai, where minor process gaps can scale into significant operational delays.
Chhatwal highlighted Delhi Airport’s shift to paperless operations as a case in point. The transition enabled the hub to boost handling capacity from 5 million to 12 million tonnes annually—without adding new infrastructure. “Digitalisation is no longer a luxury—it is a capacity multiplier,” he added.
Platform politics to standards integration
Technology is not the problem—interoperability is. Dr Graber framed it plainly: “The question is not whether the tools exist. The question is: are we speaking the same digital language?”
That shared language is taking shape through efforts like FIATA’s alignment with the UN/CEFACT Reference Data Model and collaboration with the World Customs Organization (WCO) and International Air Transport Association (IATA). These frameworks are helping
T.A. Khan, Advisory Committee Member at UNNExT and former Vice-Chair at UN/CEFACT, added, “We must pursue mutual recognition of electronic documents and digital signatures through multilateral and regional frameworks, such as UNCITRAL’s Model Law on Electronic Commerce.” India is making headway with Digital Economy Agreements and some paperless provisions in free trade agreements (FTAs).
India’s digital public infrastructure
India’s Unified Logistics Interface Platform (ULIP)—inspired by the country’s widely acclaimed Unified Payments Interface (UPI)—is being hailed as a democratising force for logistics data. Dr Pritam Banerjee, Head of the Centre for WTO Studies at the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, explained, “ULIP allows even a two-person firm to plug into customs, port and carrier systems. It can become the rail that enables small players to compete.”
However, successful implementation requires more than open APIs. Persistent issues include poor data quality, limited awareness among small and medium enterprises, and trust deficits between private operators and public systems. “ULIP must be seen as infrastructure,” said Banerjee.
‘Zero trust’ network
Dr Graber showcased FIATA’s blockchain-secured electronic bill of lading (e-BL) as a model for trust in decentralised logistics networks. Using digitally certified identities and encrypted QR codes, customs and port authorities can validate shipments in real time—without paper or intermediaries.
“The goal is a zero-trust architecture where verification happens automatically, securely and transparently,” he explained. Already under pilot in Europe, this system could integrate directly with Indian customs, slashing clearance times and boosting efficiency.
Strategic relevance to airfreight growth
As India targets US$1 trillion in goods exports by 2030, airfreight is poised to play a crucial role. But the sector’s growth hinges on speed, reliability and traceability—each dependent on robust digital systems. Currently, digital readiness varies significantly across the country. While metro airport cargo terminals are relatively advanced, many Tier-2 and Tier-3 facilities lack digital systems or automated storage—making scalability a major hurdle.
At the same time, environmental, social and governance (ESG) mandates are compelling carriers to adopt digital solutions that also serve sustainability goals. Digital platforms supporting route optimisation, predictive maintenance and smart capacity management can help align with India’s net-zero targets without sacrificing throughput.
