SGS AWARDS GDP CERTIFICATION TO AIR INDIA FOR THEIR CARGO BUSINESS

GURGAON, India, May 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- SGS has awarded the World Health Organization Good Distribution Practices (GDP) certificate to Air India Limited, India's leading global airline.

This certification is awarded for the cargo business of Air India and recognizes excellence in handling, storage and transportation of time and temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical shipments at Air India sites across several domestic as well as international cargo hubs.

Certified domestic locations include Indore, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Goa, New Delhi and Chennai. Internationally, the certification spans key hubs such as Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Chicago, Paris (CDG), New York (JFK), Newark (EWR) and London Heathrow.

"India is one of the world's key exporters of pharmaceutical products, demanding specialised logistics and precision for their transportation to other parts of the world. This certification provides a shot in the arm to our expertise and capabilities in this specialised space of logistics, assuring partners globally that we are fully equipped to safeguard the integrity of every shipment," said Ramesh Mamidala, Head of Cargo, Air India.

Speaking about this certification, Sub-Regional Director – Business Assurance for SGS in India, Nilesh Jadhav said, "We are proud to certify Air India Limited with the WHO Good Distribution Practices (GDP) standard for their multiple cargo hubs across the world. Compliance with WHO GDP principles not only safeguards the integrity and safety of vital pharmaceutical consignments across its network, but also improves operational performance and strengthens trust among stakeholders in a complex, globally interlinked supply chain."

The WHO GDP certification outlines the critical guidelines and protocols necessary to ensure safe and secure pharmaceutical distribution. It helps prevent counterfeit medicines from entering the supply chain and ensures that processes like relabelling, repackaging, storing and distributing are compliant with WHO standards. Achieving this certification requires a thorough and rigorous audit of facilities and processes to verify alignment with global GDP requirements.

The certification demonstrates Air India's commitment to maintaining pharmaceutical product integrity throughout its logistics network and enhances its ability to serve global healthcare supply chains with confidence.

Discover how SGS can support compliance with WHO Good Distribution Practices (GDP) for pharmaceutical products, through our trusted audit and certification services - click here to learn more

For further information, please contact:
Mr. Arup Jana
t: +91 90 07 074 274

About Air India group

The Air India group – comprising of full-service global airline Air India and low-cost regional carrier Air India Express – is spearheading a new era of Indian aviation. The Air India story began in 1932 when JRD Tata piloted the airline's inaugural flight and opened the skies for aviation in India. Today, Air India group employs more than 30,000 people, operates over 300 aircraft and carries customers to 55 domestic and 48 international destinations across five continents.

Returning to the Tata Sons in 2022 following 70 years under Government ownership, Air India group is in the midst of a five-year transformation program, Vihaan.AI. As part of the transformation, Air India has placed an order for 570 new aircraft. In 2024, sister airlines Air Asia India and Vistara were successfully merged into Air India Express and Air India, respectively, and the Airline opened South Asia's largest aviation training academy. A new flying school is scheduled to open in 2025, and construction of a greenfield maintenance base, to be operational in 2026, is underway. In addition to receiving new aircraft, all existing aircraft are progressively undergoing a full interior refit.

With transformation underway across all facets of the business and India's rich legacy of hospitality, Air India is committed to being a world class global airline with an Indian heart.

For more stories on Air India, visit http://www.airindia.com/newsroom

ABOUT SGS    

SGS is the world's leading Testing, Inspection and Certification company. We operate a network of over 2,500 laboratories and business facilities across 115 countries, supported by a team of 99,500 dedicated professionals. With over 145 years of service excellence, we combine the precision and accuracy that define Swiss companies to help organizations achieve the highest standards of quality, compliance and sustainability.

Our brand promise – when you need to be sure – underscores our commitment to trust, integrity and reliability, enabling businesses to thrive with confidence. We proudly deliver our expert services through the SGS name and trusted specialized brands, including Brightsight, Bluesign, Maine Pointe and Nutrasource.

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