In a strategic move to strengthen its foothold in South Asia’s growing cargo market, Challenge Group has launched a new weekly freighter connection to Bengaluru, India’s high-tech and pharmaceutical powerhouse. The service commenced on May 4 and is operated with a Boeing 767-300 converted freighter, offering a payload capacity of approximately 50 tonnes.
The new route originates in Tel Aviv and includes a stopover in Dubai on both the outbound and inbound legs, as confirmed by FlightRadar24 data. This latest development complements Challenge Group’s existing thrice-weekly service to Mumbai, which has been operating for the past year.
With the addition of Bengaluru, Challenge Group is sharpening its focus on key verticals such as pharmaceuticals, high-tech electronics, and other temperature-sensitive commodities — all high-value segments that increasingly rely on airfreight for speed and reliability.
“The addition of Bangalore further strengthens Challenge Group’s strategic connectivity between India, the Middle East, Europe, and North America,” the carrier said in an official statement. “From Tel Aviv, we offer daily connections to Liege, and from there to the U.S., ensuring a seamless supply chain link for global shippers.”
Or Zak, Chief Commercial Officer at Challenge Group, emphasized the long-term vision behind the move: “Given that India is striving to become the factory of the world, and the production of key verticals has significantly increased during the past few years, our strategic decision to now launch a regular and direct India–Middle East–Europe service goes some way towards satisfying the intense customer demand on this route.”
The expansion underscores Challenge Group’s broader ambitions to position itself as a key player in intercontinental trade lanes, leveraging India’s accelerating role in global manufacturing and export logistics. With sustained demand for reliable, multi-vertical cargo solutions, the group’s enhanced footprint in India is poised to deliver both operational agility and growth momentum in one of the world’s most dynamic air cargo markets.
