AIR CARG O WEEK


WEEKLY NEWS


A DEFINING MILESTONE


BY Ajinkya GURAV


THE 2025 edition of Cold Chain Unbroken (CCUB) —held in Hyderabad—did not merely reaffirm the event’s standing as the country’s leading forum for cold chain and pharmaceutical


logistics. It


symbolised a deeper institutional shift in how public and private stakeholders are converging to shape the future of


temperature-controlled


transport across air, sea, and surface networks. From a modest thought-leadership gathering to


a platform for policy dialogue, innovation launches, and commercial partnerships, CCUB 2025 marked a new scale of ambition. “The energy this year has been extraordinary,” said Satish Lakkaraju, founder and chief architect of CCUB and CEO of Nexgen Logistics in exclusive interview with Air Cargo Week. “Day two alone saw over 250 delegates—beyond what we expected. It shows how vital cold chain logistics has become to the wider logistics ecosystem,” asserted Satish.


From awareness to industry acceleration Lakkaraju reflected on the journey since CCUB’s inception,


highlighting since the “Awareness around how first product awareness


edition,” he integrity,


and


capability have evolved. “We’ve made tremendous progress


said. patient


safety, and the end farmer has grown. During COVID, the technologies and containers used for


vaccine transport were first showcased at CCUB. That tells you how closely innovation here aligns with global supply chain needs.” Indeed, CCUB’s influence has extended beyond


discussion to real deployment. Over successive editions, in


temperature-controlled to Lakkaraju,


India has seen measurable progress trucking,


digital


visibility, and the adoption of AI-led predictive systems for perishables and pharmaceuticals. According


the once-fragmented


trucking segment—long seen as a bottleneck— has now become an active participant


in cold


chain development. “We’ve moved from talking about pain points to implementing solutions,” he noted. “Technology adoption by small and medium trucking


operators is essential for scalability.”


Expanding the global dimension The 2025 edition also stood out for its global reach. With record participation from international exhibitors and logistics players, Hyderabad has effectively positioned itself as South Asia’s cold chain capital. “We started as a small gathering of thought leaders,” said Dhiren Lakkaraju, Co- Founder and Chief Operating Officer Unbroken Cold Chain Services Pvt. Ltd. and the event’s young co-organiser. “Today, it’s the launchpad for global cold chain innovations. Many companies see CCUB as their entry point into India.” Among those milestones was the unveiling of ONE Line’s new reefer solution, marking the first


accelerating, which


time an international maritime carrier launched a refrigerated cargo service at an Indian industry forum. “Such collaborations demonstrate how CCUB is now influencing the global cold chain ecosystem from within India,” Dhiren observed. The organisers now aim to expand the exhibition


footprint for the event’s fifth anniversary edition in 2026. The challenge, they admit, is logistical: cold chain solutions are physically large, requiring significant display infrastructure. “You can’t sell what the customer can’t touch,” said Dhiren. “We’ll provide more space next year—Hyderabad will remain our anchor city, given its ecosystem strength in pharma, packaging, and vaccines.”


is Government partnership and


policy synergy CCUB’s success has also drawn alignment with state and national


logistics policies. Telangana’s


proactive logistics strategy and India’s National Logistics Policy (NLP) have provided a framework for integrating cold chain priorities—ranging from multimodal connectivity to regulatory simplification. “The government’s support is not peripheral; it’s


central to our progress,” Lakkaraju said. “The Prime Minister’s vision of multimodal logistics corridors is materialising, and the cold chain is an integral part of that. The next phase will see stronger convergence between policy and private innovation.” One of the most significant policy-linked themes


emerging from CCUB 2025 was the need to extend cold chain coverage to India’s agricultural and


fisheries exports.


“We’ve focused successfully


on pharma and vaccines,” Lakkaraju explained. “But we now need to replicate that success in perishable food and maritime sectors—mangoes, fish,


vegetables, and temperature-sensitive goods. That’s where the next growth frontier lies.”


The Road ahead: CCUB 2026 and beyond As the curtains closed on CCUB 2025, planning for its landmark fifth edition was already underway. Both Satish and Dhiren confirmed that Cold Chain Unbroken 2026 will expand into a larger exhibition- led


format, focusing on next-generation packaging, three dimensions: refrigerated freight


corridors, and sustainable multimodal integration. “Our dream project is a dedicated reefer-


controlled freight corridor connecting key ports and airports,” said Satish. “If Hyderabad succeeds in


demonstrating policymakers this, it could continued be a model


replicated across India’s logistics gateways.” With industry heavyweights, shipping lines, and pledging


engagement,


CCUB has become more than an event—it is now an institution shaping India’s cold chain transformation. As the 2026 edition looms, the challenge will be to translate dialogue into deployment and ambition into measurable logistics reform. “Change


is constant,” Satish Lakkaraju


concluded. “If we don’t adapt, we fall behind. CCUB’s mission has always been to stay one step ahead—and bring the entire industry with us.”


07


www.aircargoweek.com


10 NOVEMBER 2025 ACW


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