Brussels Airport (BRU) and Hyderabad International Airport (HYD) are stepping up cooperation on air cargo development after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening links between Belgium and India.
The agreement will focus on knowledge sharing, cargo development and improving connectivity between the two airports. It also creates a framework for closer cooperation between their respective pharmaceutical and life sciences ecosystems.
“With this MoU, we are taking an important step to bring the ecosystems of Brussels Airport and Hyderabad International Airport closer together. By strengthening cargo flows between our regions, we can support trade and economic growth. As Europe’s preferred pharma and life sciences hub, Brussels Airport has built a strong ecosystem and extensive expertise in pharmaceutical logistics. Combined with Hyderabad’s leading life sciences ecosystem, this creates valuable opportunities for future cooperation and knowledge exchange,” said Arnaud Feist, CEO of Brussels Airport.
Pharmaceutical logistics will be one of the key areas of the partnership. Both airports have established strong links with the pharma and life sciences sectors, and the agreement is intended to identify ways in which Brussels’ expertise in pharmaceutical handling can complement Hyderabad’s expanding life sciences base.
Kadhir Kadhiravan, CEO of GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd., said the airport’s growing economic base and strategic position give it an important role as a gateway for India’s international trade.
“Our collaboration with Brussels Airport strengthens our ability to connect Hyderabad with the wider European cargo ecosystem and supports our ambition to build a more globally integrated cargo network. By bringing together market expertise, industry partnerships and complementary strengths, we can create new opportunities for businesses in Hyderabad and across the region while strengthening the airport’s role in India’s international trade corridors,” he said.
The two airports also want to establish closer relationships between their pharma and life sciences communities, creating a stronger commercial and logistics bridge between Europe and India.
At present, there is no direct air service between Brussels and Hyderabad. Under the agreement, BRU and HYD will therefore work together to identify opportunities to improve connectivity and develop new cargo links between Belgium and India.
Brussels Airport has built extensive expertise in pharmaceutical logistics, reinforcing 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 CEIV Pharma certification, the internationally recognised quality standard for the handling and transportation of pharmaceutical products.
The airport now provides 45,000 sq m of temperature-controlled storage capacity, making it home to Europe’s largest concentration of dedicated airport storage facilities.
On the Indian side, Hyderabad is part of a market that plays a major role in global pharmaceutical supply chains. India is the world’s largest supplier of generic medicines and accounts for approximately 20 percent of global supply by volume.
The MoU was signed with the support of Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT), the Flemish government agency responsible for promoting international trade and investment.
Over the coming months, Brussels Airport and Hyderabad International Airport are expected to develop concrete initiatives designed to increase cargo traffic and strengthen the pharmaceutical and life sciences value chain connecting the two regions.
