• Geopolitical disruption continues to affect global freight markets, with capacity constraints, schedule changes and elevated rates on UAE–UK routes, alongside knock-on effects for India. Europa Air & Sea advises businesses to engage freight partners early, monitor capacity and build flexibility into supply-chain planning.
• Growing UK–India trade presents significant opportunities, particularly in electronics, advanced manufacturing and pharmaceuticals. The UK–India trade agreement, which came into force in July 2026, is expected to improve market access, but businesses will need reliable capacity, specialist handling and customs expertise to capitalise on growth.
• Visibility, flexibility and local expertise are increasingly critical to freight forwarding. Europa highlights the importance of choosing between airfreight and sea freight according to cost, urgency and cargo requirements, supported by real-time tracking, digital tools and teams on the ground to help businesses respond quickly to changing routes, rates and schedules.

Europa Air & Sea says the conflict in the region severely disrupted established shipping routes and available capacity, creating knock-on effects well beyond the Middle East.

While some shipping activity is beginning to return and alternative routes are helping cargo move again, Europa warns that the market is far from normal. Freight rates from the UAE to the UK remain particularly high, while businesses trading with India are also experiencing the impact of changing schedules, constrained capacity and wider regional disruption.

Europa Air & Sea is the international air and sea division of independent logistics operator Europa Worldwide Group. It has its own teams in the UK, Hong Kong, UAE, India and China (Shanghai and Shenzhen), giving it direct visibility of changing conditions across key international markets.

Miles O’Donnell, General Manager – UK & Ireland at Europa Air & Sea, said: “While shipping markets are beginning to reopen following the disruption caused by the conflict, businesses should not assume conditions have returned to normal.

“Capacity constraints, schedule changes and elevated freight rates, particularly between the UK and UAE, continue to impact supply chains, with knock-on effects also being felt in India. Disruption in one part of an international shipping network very quickly creates consequences elsewhere.

Our advice to businesses in the UK, UAE and India is simple: engage with your freight partner early, understand available capacity and build greater flexibility into supply-chain planning before cargo becomes urgent.”

The warning comes as businesses are simultaneously looking to take advantage of longer-term growth in trade between the UK and India.

India’s changing export profile, continued investment in transport infrastructure and increasing digitalisation are strengthening its position as a global manufacturing and export hub, with electronics, high-tech manufacturing and pharmaceuticals among the sectors offering significant potential.

The UK-India trade agreement, which came into force in July this year, has created further opportunities for businesses looking to strengthen supply chains between the two markets. Recent reports show the value of goods traded between the two countries reached £17.3 billion in the four quarters to the end of Q1 2026, of which £6.3 billion was the export of goods from the UK to India.

As part of the agreement 90 per cent of UK goods entering India will either be duty free or reduced in tariffs, expecting to benefit a wide range of sectors including automotive, manufacturing, consumer goods, and medical technology.

Miles added: “India’s export profile is increasingly weighted towards high-value and time-sensitive goods. As manufacturing scales and new trade agreements open routes to market, these sectors will need capacity, specialist handling and customs expertise. But the current disruption also demonstrates why businesses cannot look at an individual trade lane in isolation.

“The UK, India and the UAE are connected into much wider international networks. What happens in the Gulf can affect available capacity, costs and schedules for businesses thousands of miles away.”

Europa says the changing nature of global trade is altering what exporters expect from their freight forwarders. Alongside moving cargo, businesses increasingly need access to current market information, alternative routing options, real-time visibility and responsive supply-chain management.

Angus Hind, Air & Sea Director at Europa Worldwide Group, said: “Geopolitical events can alter an international freight market incredibly quickly. Capacity can disappear, schedules change, and rates increase, with disruption in one location creating a ripple effect across multiple markets.

“That is why planning and visibility have become so important. There is no single preferred mode of transport. The right choice depends on the cargo, delivery commitment, available capacity, cost and the customer’s wider supply-chain priorities.

“Sea freight remains the natural choice for larger volumes where cost is more important than speed, while air freight has an important role for urgent, high-value and time-sensitive goods. When circumstances change, businesses need the information and flexibility to adapt.”

Europa has invested heavily in digitisation, with its in-house development team creating the ‘my europa’ portal. The platform gives customers access to real-time tracking, order management, online quote requests and supporting documentation, helping both customers and Europa teams identify potential issues earlier as circumstances change.

The company says direct local representation is equally important during periods of disruption.

Its UK–India operation is supported by Europa specialists at both ends of the route, while its UAE operation provides additional on-the-ground expertise in the Gulf.

Miles added: “Local knowledge becomes particularly valuable when a market is changing quickly. Our teams can understand what is happening at a particular port, airport or market and communicate that across our international network.

“We all work through shared systems, giving customers clear communication, shipment visibility and a point of accountability. At a time when routes, capacity and pricing can change rapidly, that combination of local expertise and international connectivity is increasingly important.”

Europa Air & Sea has sites in India, the UAE, and China, alongside its UK network, with local teams providing air and sea freight services across international markets.

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