Key Takeaways
- Amazon Air launched new air cargo routes via Kolkata and Guwahati that will serve all seven sister states, improving delivery speeds by up to 5x through an integrated air and surface multimodal network.
- The expansion will also unlock new opportunities for sellers in the Northeast. Businesses, including those in horticulture and specialty produce, gain faster, more reliable access to customers across India.
- Amazon Air is India's only dedicated e-commerce air cargo network, serving over 100 origin-destination pairs across India.
Amazon has expanded Amazon Air, its dedicated air cargo service to Northeast India, launching new routes connecting Kolkata and Guwahati. The expansion is expected to improve delivery speeds by up to five times across all seven sister states - Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura - through an integrated air and surface multimodal network.
The inaugural Amazon Air flight to Guwahati was flagged off by Shri Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, Hon’ble Minister of Civil Aviation, Government of India, alongside Abhinav Singh, Vice President, Operations, India and Australia, Amazon and Chetan Krishnaswamy, Vice President, Public Policy Amazon India.
Why this matters for Northeast India
Northeast India has historically faced logistics challenges due to its geography. By adding dedicated air capacity, Amazon is reducing transit times that were previously constrained by road and rail connectivity.
"With Hon’ble Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi Ji’s priority focus on the North-East through the vision of ‘Act East, Act Fast, Act First’, infrastructure and connectivity in the North-Eastern region have grown multifold. Today, every state in the North-East has an airport and the number of operational airports has increased from 9 in 2014 to 16 today," says Shri Ram Mohan Naidu, Hon’ble Minister of Civil Aviation.
"Given the North East’s immense potential in horticulture and cargo exports, today’s launch of Amazon Air’s cargo route from Delhi to Guwahati will further support the farmers, artisans and entrepreneurs of the North-East. The government has also taken several significant interventions to encourage air cargo growth in the country. In Budget 2026, special emphasis has been placed on building air cargo infrastructure and warehousing capacity to strengthen logistics for perishable and high-value products. Additionally, the value cap on courier exports has been removed which will help boost cross-border e-commerce. And I congratulate Amazon for adding to air freight network of the country with today’s milestone launch," he adds.
For sellers in the region, including those in horticulture and specialty produce, the expansion will enable more reliable access to customers nationwide. Businesses in the Northeast can now reach a broader customer base and participate more fully in India’s growing digital economy.
“Enhanced logistics connectivity plays a crucial role in empowering local entrepreneurs and expanding market access for businesses, and employment across the Northeast. For sellers in the region, the introduction of Amazon Air services to Guwahati will enable enterprises to connect with customers nationwide. Improved fulfillment speeds will allow businesses to reach a wider customer base and participate more meaningfully in India’s rapidly growing digital economy, while also bringing the benefits of faster and more reliable deliveries to customers and communities across Assam and the wider Northeast region,” says Dr. Ravi Kota, IAS, Chief Secretary, Assam.
“Such advancements in logistics infrastructure are also expected to generate substantial employment opportunities for local youth. It is hoped that the operationalization of Amazon Air services will further contribute to job creation and support the overall economic growth of the region," he adds.
How Amazon Air works
Amazon Air launched in India in 2023 and is the only dedicated air cargo network operated by an e-commerce company in the country. Operating two narrow-body freighters, the service moves tens of thousands of packages daily, enabling safer, faster and more reliable deliveries.
Its overnight routes connect major metros including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Guwahati and Pune. Amazon also operates air-rail multimodal connections, with onward reach to cities such as Delhi, Guwahati and other parts of the country. Including belly cargo partnerships, Amazon’s air network now serves over 100 origin-destination pairs across India.
“Since launching Amazon.in in 2013, we have consistently invested in building one of India’s largest logistics networks to serve customers wherever they live,” says Abhinav Singh, VP – Operations, India and Australia, Amazon.
“The expansion of Amazon Air to the Northeast is a natural progression of those investments and reflects our long-term commitment to strengthening connectivity across the country. It also aligns with the Government’s focus on improving logistics infrastructure and unlocking economic opportunity in the region. For customers, this means access to Amazon’s vast selection at 5x better speeds than before, while sellers and entrepreneurs in the Northeast can now reach customers across India faster and more reliably,” he adds.
The Northeast expansion is the latest step in Amazon Air's growth since launch, and a signal of where India's e-commerce logistics infrastructure is headed.
