Indian government calls for single-window cargo communities

A report released by the Ministry of Civil Aviation Government of India in late 2016 recommended that, “an electronic platform be put in place to digitize key stakeholder interactions,” in order to increase efficiency of processing shipments and to cut costs. In other words, the proposal system, termed the Air Cargo Community System (ACS), called for a single-window model funded and operated through a public-private partnership (PPP).

The report found that India’s current system lacks, “efficiency, transparency and consistency across the supply chain,” it suffers from complex/duplicate processes, and lacks uniformity.

The report didn’t exactly lay out a roadmap, but it instead focused on the broad dysfunction and need to move forward, suggesting that “a reputed consultant with requisite experience of Indian/global air cargo industry may be hired to prepare a detailed project report.” The committee also proposed extensive parameters for the new system, such as the requirement that it, “support industry standard messaging like IATA CARIMP, UN EDIFACT, WCO and ICEGATE.”

The ACS will be owned by a “special purpose vehicle” formed with a 51 percent stake in the government. India’s ministries of Civil Aviation, Commerce and Finance may jointly hold this ownership.