New Delhi: Leading logistics company Blue arrow has expanded its aircraft fleet in India from six to eight by adding two more Boeing 737 freight planes. It adds Guwahati to its air map, taking the number of cities to eight, given the significant increase in shipments from the Northeast. The company is also working on a plan to deliver shipments of more than 300 kg using drones. Blue Dart Chief Commercial Officer Ketan Kulkarni spoke to TOI about his plans for India as the country sees a huge boost in economic activity. Fragments:
Q. You recently added two aircraft to the Blue Dart fleet in India. What was the reason for that?
A. India is at an inflection point of growth. Logistics company after Covid is heading into a new stratosphere thanks to Prime Minister Modi’s Gati Shakti programme, where infrastructure is seeing huge investments. We are now seeing a huge increase in demand from smaller cities. We had six Boeing 757s flying here to seven cities: Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad and Chennai. Now we have added two B737s and will start flying to Guwahati in the next two months. Demand from the Northeast is growing very quickly.
Blue Dart Aviation‘Six Boeing 757 aircraft provided a network load of more than 500 tonnes every night across 74 route connections. We recently purchased two Boeing 737-800 aircraft and this will soon expand capacity to 650 tons per day.
Thanks to the government’s national logistics policy, this sector will reach $330 billion by 2025, up from the current $280 to $300 billion. Nearly two-thirds of freight transport in logistics goes by road. Air transport represents 1% of the express logistics sector, but this will grow enormously in the coming years.
Q. You did a pilot project sending Covid vaccines by drones. What are the future plans for using this technology?
A. In 2021, we had piloted a project with the Telangana government, Niti Aayog and others to send half-kg shipments by drone at a distance of seven km or beyond visual line of sight (sending a drone to a distance where the operator cannot has in his possession). or her sight). This month we have partnered with a pharmaceutical company to ship supplies in very difficult terrain areas of Himachal and Uttaranchal. DHL in Europe is working on sending shipments over 350 kg with drones. We want to do the same in India too. We are planning heavy delivery drones in smaller cities or areas with difficult terrain.
With our futuristic approach, the ultimate plan is to use these drones to handle specialized, temperature-controlled shipments with a payload of up to 5 kg, facilitating pickups from distribution centers and deliveries to remote areas with challenging terrain. Blue Dart Med-Express Consortium’s drone flights aim to improve healthcare logistics in India, especially in rural areas, by introducing an immersive delivery model.
We are currently conducting drone flights for moving consignments in Himachal Pradesh with a pharmaceutical company for a payload of 5-10 kg. We are also exploring opportunities in hilly areas of the Northeast and states like Maharashtra. DHL group companies have operated UAV with a flight range of 2,500 km and a payload of 350 kg. As part of the DHL Group, we can also conduct such tests in India.
Q. How do you see the logistics sector in India growing in the coming years?
A. The logistics sector in India is now booming due to technological advancements, government policies and infrastructure investments. Digitalization, affordable data and smartphones are bridging the gap between urban India and Tier II/III cities, leading to widespread e-commerce growth. Initiatives like ‘Make in India’ and ‘Vocal for Local’ have increased logistics demand in smaller cities. This increases the demand for seamless logistics. We currently deliver shipments to over 55,000 locations in India. On Independence Day, we further expanded its presence to 77 pin codes across the country. Efforts are aimed at stimulating trade.
Part of DHL Group’s DHL eCommerce division, Blue Dart has access to the largest and most comprehensive express and logistics network worldwide, covering more than 220 countries and territories, offering a full spectrum of distribution services including air express, freight forwarding, supply chain solutions and customs clearance.
Q. What is the way forward for the industry?
A. Domestically, with the rise of e-commerce and changing consumer preferences, demand for faster and more reliable deliveries is expected to continue to drive growth in domestic freight shipments. For overseas freight, growth in international trade and India’s increasing participation in global markets are expected to drive demand for cross-border logistics services. As Indian companies expand their footprint abroad, the need for efficient overseas freight services is increasing. We are well positioned to take advantage of these growth opportunities.
Q. You recently added two aircraft to the Blue Dart fleet in India. What was the reason for that?
A. India is at an inflection point of growth. Logistics company after Covid is heading into a new stratosphere thanks to Prime Minister Modi’s Gati Shakti programme, where infrastructure is seeing huge investments. We are now seeing a huge increase in demand from smaller cities. We had six Boeing 757s flying here to seven cities: Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad and Chennai. Now we have added two B737s and will start flying to Guwahati in the next two months. Demand from the Northeast is growing very quickly.
Blue Dart Aviation‘Six Boeing 757 aircraft provided a network load of more than 500 tonnes every night across 74 route connections. We recently purchased two Boeing 737-800 aircraft and this will soon expand capacity to 650 tons per day.
Thanks to the government’s national logistics policy, this sector will reach $330 billion by 2025, up from the current $280 to $300 billion. Nearly two-thirds of freight transport in logistics goes by road. Air transport represents 1% of the express logistics sector, but this will grow enormously in the coming years.
Q. You did a pilot project sending Covid vaccines by drones. What are the future plans for using this technology?
A. In 2021, we had piloted a project with the Telangana government, Niti Aayog and others to send half-kg shipments by drone at a distance of seven km or beyond visual line of sight (sending a drone to a distance where the operator cannot has in his possession). or her sight). This month we have partnered with a pharmaceutical company to ship supplies in very difficult terrain areas of Himachal and Uttaranchal. DHL in Europe is working on sending shipments over 350 kg with drones. We want to do the same in India too. We are planning heavy delivery drones in smaller cities or areas with difficult terrain.
With our futuristic approach, the ultimate plan is to use these drones to handle specialized, temperature-controlled shipments with a payload of up to 5 kg, facilitating pickups from distribution centers and deliveries to remote areas with challenging terrain. Blue Dart Med-Express Consortium’s drone flights aim to improve healthcare logistics in India, especially in rural areas, by introducing an immersive delivery model.
We are currently conducting drone flights for moving consignments in Himachal Pradesh with a pharmaceutical company for a payload of 5-10 kg. We are also exploring opportunities in hilly areas of the Northeast and states like Maharashtra. DHL group companies have operated UAV with a flight range of 2,500 km and a payload of 350 kg. As part of the DHL Group, we can also conduct such tests in India.
Q. How do you see the logistics sector in India growing in the coming years?
A. The logistics sector in India is now booming due to technological advancements, government policies and infrastructure investments. Digitalization, affordable data and smartphones are bridging the gap between urban India and Tier II/III cities, leading to widespread e-commerce growth. Initiatives like ‘Make in India’ and ‘Vocal for Local’ have increased logistics demand in smaller cities. This increases the demand for seamless logistics. We currently deliver shipments to over 55,000 locations in India. On Independence Day, we further expanded its presence to 77 pin codes across the country. Efforts are aimed at stimulating trade.
Part of DHL Group’s DHL eCommerce division, Blue Dart has access to the largest and most comprehensive express and logistics network worldwide, covering more than 220 countries and territories, offering a full spectrum of distribution services including air express, freight forwarding, supply chain solutions and customs clearance.
Q. What is the way forward for the industry?
A. Domestically, with the rise of e-commerce and changing consumer preferences, demand for faster and more reliable deliveries is expected to continue to drive growth in domestic freight shipments. For overseas freight, growth in international trade and India’s increasing participation in global markets are expected to drive demand for cross-border logistics services. As Indian companies expand their footprint abroad, the need for efficient overseas freight services is increasing. We are well positioned to take advantage of these growth opportunities.
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