RAP is normally connected with modern music. Not for FIATA members, though, who immediately recognize the acronym with Region Asia Pacific, i.e. the regional assembly of the association members of the region. This group is chaired by Yukki Nugrahawan Hanafi, nominated by the Indonesian association member.
     One may wonder what has the title to do with the RAP meeting. Well, we asked AI. It came to assist with this explanation: “In the context of wood, ‘tap’ typically refers to the act of creating a threaded hole in wood using a tap tool. This process allows bolts or screws with matching threads to be easily attached and detached. It can also mean making a hole in a tree trunk to extract sap, like in maple syrup production.”
     The thought process parallel tells you that the recently-concluded FIATA-RAP field meeting at Delhi (May 21-24, 2025) achieved its goals strengthening India’s position in the context of its continental geographic position, putting India on the stage for global dialogue and, more importantly, the fragrant takeaway of the gathering will hopefully spark transformation and engagement with global industry leaders, as it appeared through a series of active discussions on the future of supply chain innovation in the Asia-Pacific region.
     Partnered by the Air Cargo Agents Association of India (ACAAI), the 2025 FIATA Region Asia Pacific (RAP) event highlighted India’s growing economic significance on the global stage.  Speaking on the side-lines of the RAP meet, FIATA President Turgut Erkeskin pointed out India’s importance in global trade. India, he said, had become a major player in the global air cargo market. FIATA’s endeavour was to connect and support members and country-based organisations to boost trade. He noted that India had committed to major investments in infrastructure and policy. The country’s manufacturing and consumption had gone up significantly and that had increased the “demand for the air cargo, particularly for high-value, time-sensitive goods such as electronics, pharmaceuticals and perishables.” However, he also emphasised that there were challenges. Erkeskin mentioned that both Mumbai and Delhi airports were saturated and this has led to “delays in cargo handling and increased costs”. He mentioned that the “state-level regulations can complicate operations for air cargo providers” and all this needed attention. Commending the government for “expanding global routes and improving Customs procedures,” the FIATA president highlighted that these moves went a long way to “boost India’s growing role.”
     Speaking about the takeaways from the event, Erkeskin mentioned that he was looking at Indian companies and logistics and cargo professionals create long-lasting relationships. With airport officials from the APAC region taking part, the President hoped to see meaningful “collaborations between airports, airlines, and logistics providers which can lead to efficient operations and resilient supply chains.”
     On his part, ACAAI President C. K. Govil (left) was optimistic about the meeting. He said he had seized the opportunity to invite FIATA representing the global air cargo community to witness the changes taking place in India. “India is emerging as a strong logistics hub,” he said, “boosting the growth of an economy that has remained untouched by the volatility seen in the U.S. and a growing infrastructure.”  He termed the meeting as a “platform to spark transformation” and exhorted emerging companies to “be bold, be innovative, and stay committed to excellence”. If these companies could be agile and “provide digital capabilities, or local detailed insights, larger players would see the value in partnering with them”. He called for stronger collaborations between companies of the APAC region. Collaborations with other Asian nations seem a distinct possibility.

     FIATA plays a crucial role in shaping and understanding trade corridors, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region and President Erkeskin provided the example of the India-Middle East-Europe Trade Corridor which had started taking shape. One of the major initiatives that FIATA was keen to bring in was sustainability: an important issue for the air cargo industry. FIATA, he said was working with stakeholders to push sustainable practices and policy reforms. He said that FIATA would promote innovation in green tech. FIATA would support “environmentally responsible solutions across the supply chain”. The Delhi meeting provided a platform for industry leaders to discuss emerging corridors, technological advancements in forwarding, and policy frameworks. The meeting also focused on identifying regional challenges and potential solutions, fostering collaboration to strengthen logistics networks.
     This short report tells a long story with regard to the essential role of India in the – perhaps – only growing continental economy left at this point in time. Looking forward to hearing better news also from other FIATA regions, we register this evident success and congratulate our friends in India for their organization.
Tirthankar Ghosh/Marco Sorgetti