Amazon has expanded its dedicated air cargo network to Northeast India, launching new routes that the company says will significantly speed up deliveries across the region and improve market access for local sellers.

The expansion introduces air cargo connectivity between Kolkata and Guwahati, allowing Amazon to integrate the region more closely with its national logistics network. The service is expected to support deliveries across the seven Northeastern states - Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura - through a combination of air and surface transport.  

Amazon said the addition of dedicated air capacity could improve delivery speeds in the region by up to five times, giving customers faster access to products ranging from daily essentials and smartphones to consumer electronics, fashion and beauty items. 

Currently, it’s 10 flights a day dynamically but on during events such as The Great Indian Festival,  it can go up to 200 a day, said Abhinav Singh, vice president – operations for India and Australia at Amazon.

The inaugural Amazon Air flight to Guwahati was flagged off from Indira Gandhi International Airport by Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, India’s minister of Civil Aviation.

“Infrastructure and connectivity in the North-Eastern region have grown multifold,” the minister said, noting that every state in the region now has an airport and the number of operational airports has increased from nine in 2014 to 16 today. He added that the new cargo route could help support farmers, artisans and entrepreneurs in the region by improving logistics access for horticulture and cargo exports.  

The minister also pointed to policy measures aimed at boosting air cargo growth, including investments in cargo infrastructure and warehousing in the Union Budget 2026 and the removal of the value cap on courier exports to encourage cross-border e-commerce

What does it mean for local businesses?

State officials and the company say improved logistics connectivity could help regional sellers reach customers nationwide more efficiently.

For Amazon, the move is part of a broader effort to strengthen logistics infrastructure across the country.

“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,” said Singh. “For customers, this means access to Amazon’s vast selection at five times better speeds than before, while sellers and entrepreneurs in the Northeast can now reach customers across India faster and more reliably.”  

Amazon Air launched in India in 2023 and currently operates with two narrow-body freighters that move tens of thousands of packages daily. Currently, the network connects major metros including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Guwahati and Pune.