On Thursday, June 12, 2025, Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed shortly after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad. The aircraft was en route to London Gatwick Airport and was carrying 242 individuals, including 230 passengers and 12 crew members. Incident Details The crash occurred near the Meghani Nagar area, just outside the airport's perimeter. Witnesses reported seeing the plane lose altitude before crashing into a building, resulting in a massive explosion and black smoke billowing into the sky. Casualties and Emergency Response The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has confirmed that at least 133 fatalities have been reported. The remaining 109 individuals, including passengers and crew, are unaccounted for, with their status whether injured or deceased still under investigation. Emergency services, including fire engines and ambulances, were promptly dispatched to the crash site. Additionally, three teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were mobilized from Gandhinagar and Vadodara to assist in rescue operations. Passengers' Nationalities Among the 230 passengers on board, there were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, 7 Portuguese nationals, and 1 Canadian national.Investigation and Official Statements The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) of India has initiated an investigation into the cause of the crash. Air India has set up a helpline number 1800 5691 444 for concerned families seeking information about their relatives. The British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, described the incident as devastating and offered full assistance to the affected families. Aircraft Details The aircraft involved, registered VT-ANB, was an 11-year-old Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. This incident marks the first fatal hull loss involving a Boeing 787 since its introduction in 2011.
Amid growing concerns over rare-earth material shortages, Hyundai Motor India is looking to harness the strength of its parent company’s global supply chain network to secure critical components for its electric vehicle (EV) and hybrid lineup. This strategic move follows tightening export controls by China, the world’s leading supplier of rare-earth elements, which are essential for EV motor technology. According to sources familiar with the matter, Hyundai India currently maintains a healthy inventory of rare-earth magnets. However, with escalating geopolitical and trade uncertainties, the automaker is proactively exploring alternative sourcing options within Hyundai Motor Company’s international procurement framework. This development comes at a critical time for India’s automotive sector, which is accelerating its EV ambitions but faces supply-side vulnerabilities in key materials. China’s recent restrictions on rare-earth exports have sent ripples through global manufacturing supply chains, especially affecting high-growth EV markets like India. Industry analysts note that Hyundai's vertically integrated and digitally connected supply chain gives it a significant edge over domestic manufacturers, many of whom rely on single-source or regional suppliers. The company’s advanced supply chain demand planning and electronic supply chain management systems are now being seen as crucial assets in maintaining production continuity.
Global logistics leader UPS has announced the addition of an extra weekly Boeing 747-8 freighter flight between India and Europe, significantly boosting its air freight capacity in response to rising demand for Indian exports across Europe and North America. The new freighter service, operating from Delhi to UPS’s Cologne hub in Germany, will double the existing airfreight capacity on the route. The expansion is strategically aligned with the surge in demand for time-sensitive shipments across key sectors including automotive, industrial manufacturing, healthcare, and retail. From its Cologne gateway, UPS can efficiently move shipments onwards to the United States one of India’s largest EXIM partners strengthening the end-to-end global supply chain between Asia, Europe, and North America. UPS attributes this move to growing momentum in India’s international trade and supply chain ecosystem, driven by policy reforms, a push for manufacturing competitiveness, and expanded market access. Notably, Europe has emerged as India’s largest trading partner, with bilateral goods trade reaching $137.4 billion in the last fiscal year, further reinforcing the need for robust and scalable freight connectivity.
The V O Chidambaranar (VOC) Port Authority has once again scrapped its ambitious plan to build a mega container terminal in the outer harbour of the southern port, after failing to attract any private bidders. This marks the second such cancellation in 18 months for the ₹7,055.95-crore project, which was intended to add 4 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of capacity to the port’s infrastructure. The tender, which was initially floated in February 2024 and re-issued in December the same year, faced multiple deadline extensions but failed to generate sufficient interest from the private sector. During a roadshow in Mumbai in March 2024 and subsequent pre-bid meetings, potential investors raised serious concerns over the financial and technical feasibility of the project. One of the main issues flagged by interested parties was the “unrealistic” cost estimates for key civil works such as dredging and breakwater construction. These estimates were prepared with technical support from the National Technology Center for Ports, Waterways and Coasts (NTCPWC) under the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM). However, bidders argued that the projections did not align with prevailing market conditions and posed significant investment risks. The cancellation of the tender deals a blow to India’s ongoing efforts to modernize its port infrastructure and decongest overburdened hubs like JNPT and Mundra. The VOC Port, strategically located in Tamil Nadu, has the potential to emerge as a major transshipment and logistics hub in southern India. However, its progress has been hampered by challenges in attracting private capital and structuring commercially viable projects.
Mahindra Logistics Ltd, one of India’s largest integrated logistics solutions providers, saw its shares climb by as much as 2.32% on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, reaching an intraday high of ₹354.95. As of 12:12 PM, the stock was trading 1.34% higher at ₹351.55 on the BSE, outperforming the Sensex, which was up 0.38% at 82,707.30.The share price rose following the company's announcement of a major expansion in its logistics and supply chain management capabilities. Mahindra Logistics inaugurated a state-of-the-art warehousing facility in Phaltan, Maharashtra an area rapidly emerging as a key industrial and manufacturing corridor. This logistics chain management initiative is designed to strengthen operations for Cummins India by centralizing products from multiple sources into one efficient location. The new warehouse spans over 3 lakh square feet and serves as a dedicated logistics and distribution hub. The facility’s strategic location near Pune provides direct access to major highways and industrial zones, significantly improving real-time logistics planning and supply chain visibility. Mahindra Logistics stated that the expansion would enhance Cummins India’s nationwide operations by enabling better demand forecasting in logistics and smoother inventory consolidation.
MAHESH JADHAV
AGM – Sourcing & Procurement Head, HYOSUNG GOODSPRINGSAtif Ali Khan
Associate Director Sourcing & Procurement, MetLifeAnil Pandita
Senior Director-Sourcing & Procurement, JLL IndiaSaahil Goel
MD & CEO, ShiprocketIncrease your brand visibility and thought leadership in Industry
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