Assam cargo volumes surge 15.1% in FY26, CM Sarma eyes logistics hub status
Synopsis
Assam's cargo story is moving fast — Guwahati Airport handled over 33,500 metric tonnes of freight in FY26, a 15.1% jump in a single year. CM Sarma is framing it as proof that the Northeast's long-overlooked logistics potential is finally converting into real economic momentum, backed by India's Act East push.
Key Takeaways
Guwahati Airport cargo volumes rose 15.1% year-on-year to 33,555.99 metric tonnes in FY 2025-26 .
Volumes grew from 29,155 metric tonnes in 2024-25 , an increase of over 4,400 metric tonnes .
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma shared the data on 12 June 2025 , calling Assam a 'logistics powerhouse' in the making.
The state is investing in multimodal connectivity — road, rail, inland waterways, and air — to sustain freight growth.
Industry observers link the surge to Assam's strategic role as a gateway to Southeast Asia under India's Act East Policy .
Assam is steadily cementing its position as the Northeast's premier logistics and cargo corridor, with freight volumes at Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati rising 15.1% year-on-year during FY 2025-26, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Friday, 12 June 2025. The figures mark one of the sharpest single-year cargo growth rates recorded at the airport, signalling accelerating freight demand across the region.
The Numbers Behind the Growth
According to data shared by CM Sarma, cargo handled at Guwahati Airport climbed from 29,155 metric tonnes in 2024-25 to 33,555.99 metric tonnes in 2025-26 — an addition of over 4,400 metric tonnes in a single financial year. Sarma described the jump as 'an encouraging indicator of Assam's expanding economic activity and its increasing integration with domestic and international markets.'
What the Government Said
Sarma, posting on social media platform X, said Assam is 'rapidly positioning itself as a logistics powerhouse capable of supporting industrial growth and expanding business opportunities.' He added that the state government intends to build on this momentum by boosting the cargo logistics sector as part of its broader industrialisation agenda.
The state has been directing investments toward multimodal connectivity — road, rail, inland waterways, and air — to improve freight movement not just within Assam but across the wider Northeast and into international corridors.
Strategic Importance: The Act East Angle
Industry observers note that the cargo surge is not incidental. Assam sits at the intersection of India's Act East Policy, which positions the Northeast as a gateway to Southeast Asia. Growing volumes of agricultural produce, manufactured goods, and industrial inputs are increasingly moving through Guwahati, reflecting both rising business confidence and the airport's improving handling infrastructure.
Notably, this growth comes as the state government has been aggressively courting investors, promoting manufacturing clusters, and pushing export-oriented initiatives — all of which depend on reliable, scalable freight infrastructure.
What Comes Next
Officials say enhanced cargo-handling capacity will be central to Assam's ambitions of becoming a key trade and logistics node in the region. The government's focus on infrastructure-led development — including expanded multimodal links — is expected to further accelerate freight volumes in the coming years. Whether the airport's ground infrastructure can keep pace with demand growth, however, remains a question industry bodies are watching closely.
Point of View
But the more important question is whether Assam's ground infrastructure — cold chains, warehousing, customs clearance turnaround — is scaling at the same pace as raw tonnage. The Act East Policy has been a stated priority for over a decade; Guwahati Airport's freight numbers are finally providing hard evidence of traction, yet the Northeast's logistics bottlenecks have historically been landside, not airside. If the state can close that gap, the hub narrative becomes structurally defensible — not just a headline.
NationPress
9 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did cargo at Guwahati Airport grow in FY 2025-26?
Cargo at Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati grew 15.1% year-on-year in FY 2025-26, reaching 33,555.99 metric tonnes, up from 29,155 metric tonnes the previous year. The figures were shared by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on 12 June 2025.
Why is Assam being called a logistics hub?
Assam's central location in the Northeast, combined with improving multimodal connectivity and rising cargo volumes, has led the state government to position it as a logistics gateway to Southeast Asia under India's Act East Policy. CM Sarma has cited the airport's freight growth as evidence of this emerging role.
What is India's Act East Policy and how does Assam fit in?
India's Act East Policy aims to strengthen economic and strategic ties with Southeast Asian nations, with the Northeast serving as the primary land bridge. Assam, as the region's largest state and home to Guwahati's international airport, is central to this connectivity push, handling growing volumes of trade goods destined for and arriving from cross-border markets.
What infrastructure investments is Assam making in logistics?
The state government is investing in road, rail, inland waterway, and air connectivity to build a multimodal freight ecosystem. These investments are aimed at improving supply chain efficiency and supporting Assam's broader goals of industrialisation and export-oriented growth.
Who is Himanta Biswa Sarma?
Himanta Biswa Sarma is the Chief Minister of Assam, serving since May 2021. He leads the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state and has been a prominent voice on Northeast development, investment promotion, and infrastructure-led economic growth.
