Afcom Holdings President Kochat Narendran steps down

Kochat Narendran, President of Afcom Holdings, has stepped down from his role after nearly six years with the company.

Looking back on his tenure, Narendran said he was “exceptionally proud” of the journey from inception. His role included positioning the organisation within the industry, building brand awareness and acceptance, and developing the commercial and GSSA operations in India and overseas. “The launch was very good in terms of the routes and network that we created,” he said.

Narendran joined Afcom in January 2020, as the company was developing plans to launch a cargo airline from Chennai. The original plan, he recalled, was to operate smaller aircraft, including an ATR, on regional routes such as Chennai-Colombo-Malé. The Covid-19 pandemic then forced a rethink, with Afcom shifting the focus towards the Boeing 737-800 freighter. Afcom subsequently secured regulatory approvals, received its air operator certificate in December 2024 and launched cargo services on the Chennai-Bangkok route with a Boeing 737-800 freighter later that month.

Afcom currently operates a fleet of three Boeing 737-800 converted freighters, each with around 20-22 tonnes of cargo capacity, connecting Chennai to regional markets including Bangkok, Colombo and Malé. The airline plans to add two more Boeing 737-800 freighters by the end of this year. Also, earlier this month (September 2026), Afcom Holdings executed a letter of intent with Boeing to purchase up to four 777-8F freighter aircraft.

Afcom Holdings reported strong financial growth in the first quarter of FY27, with standalone revenue rising 48% year on year to ₹1.76 billion and net profit increasing to ₹392 million. In FY26, the company reported ₹5.83 billion ($66.5 million) in revenue from operations and ₹1.219 billion ($13.9 million) in net profit.

Narendran began his career in 1985 with BPL-India and moved into logistics in 1993. Over a career spanning more than 35 years, he held senior positions including Regional Sales Manager at TNT Express Worldwide, National Sales Manager and Managing Director at Hindustan Cargo, COO at Continental Carriers and CEO at DTDC Nikko International Logistics. He also played a key role in restructuring Yusen Logistics’ southern operations before joining Afcom Holdings.

Narendran identified reliability and consistency as one of the biggest lessons from building the cargo operation. Rather than frequently changing routes when initial results were weak, he said Afcom learned that maintaining a consistent schedule on markets with long-term potential helped build customer loyalty.

Malé emerged as one of the company's key examples. The idea had originated from an earlier plan to operate smaller aircraft into Malé and Colombo. When the Boeing 737-800 programme took shape, Afcom explored whether it could develop Malé into a larger niche market and cargo hub. The timing coincided with the redevelopment of Velana International Airport, while discussions with local agents, including the company's Colombo agent, helped shape the operation, Narendran said.

Initially dominated by perishables, cargo moving through Malé later expanded to include engineering and industrial products, connecting onwards to markets including Russia, the UK and Italy, he said.

Afcom also developed charter partnerships with other airlines, including Turkish Airlines, operating cargo charters between Colombo and Malé and, on several occasions, between Chennai and Malé. Chennai remained a major focus for the carrier, with Narendran saying the company concentrated its scheduled operations there after experimenting with Bengaluru.

“We started focusing on Chennai because Chennai is a hub,” he said, adding that the company's presence had also played a positive role in the airport's cargo growth.

Narendran also recalled how disruptions in global supply chains created opportunities for the cargo operator, including additional charter demand following the Red Sea disruption.

Narendran said Afcom's development from Chennai was driven by the ambition to build the operation from their home city, although the company had since expanded to Mumbai and could potentially move into Delhi and other markets.

Watch Kochat Narendran speaking to STAT Publishing Group during the recent ACFI World Conclave 2026 in Delhi.