Brussels and Hyderabad Airports Sign MoU to Strengthen Pharma Air Cargo Links

Brussels Airport and GMR Hyderabad International Airport have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation in air cargo development through knowledge sharing and improved connectivity between Belgium and India. There is currently no direct air connection between the two cities.

Image: Brussels Airport

Pharma and life sciences logistics is a central focus of the partnership. Brussels Airport's pharma logistics expertise supports Belgium's position as the world's fourth-largest exporter of pharmaceutical products. In 2014, Brussels Airport became the first airport in the world to obtain IATA CEIV Pharma certification. The airport currently offers 45,000 square metres of temperature-controlled storage capacity, which it says represents Europe's largest concentration of dedicated airport storage facilities. Hyderabad, meanwhile, is a major centre for pharmaceutical manufacturing, vaccines, and research and development, while India is the world's largest supplier of generic medicines, accounting for around 20 per cent of global supply by volume.

Under the MoU, the two airports will collaborate on route development, market intelligence, cargo best practices and stakeholder engagement. They will also explore how Brussels Airport's pharma logistics expertise and Hyderabad's life sciences ecosystem can complement each other, as well as potential Hyderabad–Brussels connectivity and onward access to key European markets.

The agreement does not announce a new service. In the coming months, the two airports plan to develop concrete initiatives to support cargo traffic growth and strengthen the pharma and life sciences value chain between the two regions.

Arnaud Feist, CEO of Brussels Airport, described the airport as "Europe's preferred pharma and life sciences hub" and said the MoU marks an important step in bringing the two airports' ecosystems closer together.

Kadhir Kadhiravan, CEO of GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd., said Hyderabad is well positioned "to serve as a gateway for India's international trade", adding that the collaboration strengthens the city's connection with the wider European cargo ecosystem.

The MoU was signed with the support of Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT), the Flemish government agency responsible for promoting international trade and investment.

Source: Brussels Airport