Aramex CEO Amadou Diallo on GMR MoU, Dubai healthcare hub, India, China, Africa, Global South

Aramex wants to bring Indian manufacturers closer to global consumers. Its recent MoU with GMR Airports supports that ambition. But what could the partnership change for exporters?

In this interview with Libin Chacko Kurian of STAT Publishing Group, Amadou Diallo, Aramex's Group Chief Executive Officer, explains the thinking behind the agreement. Speaking at Aramex’s Navi Mumbai office as the company celebrates 30 years in India, he discusses shorter cut-off times, greater flexibility for producers and more direct connections to overseas markets.

The conversation turns to Aramex's broader direction. From its partnership with China’s Lingang Group to its digital technology operations in Pune, Diallo explains how local expertise can help the company connect more entrepreneurs with customers. “Our ambition is to decomplicate trade, simplify access,” he says.

That approach also shapes his response to tariffs, conflict and supply chain disruptions. “You can make crossing a border complicated, but you cannot stop trade.” He discusses how multimodal solutions can help keep goods moving when established routes become difficult to use.

Looking ahead, Diallo identifies opportunities in data centres, energy, automotive, clothing and food. He argues that the starting point should be the needs of customers in emerging markets, with transport modes chosen around those needs. “China and India are the manufacturing platforms of the world,” he says, explaining why connections to smaller suppliers and cities matter.

Africa and healthcare sharpen that argument. Diallo discusses the role of Indian entrepreneurs in serving African consumers and the importance of making affordable medicines more accessible. He explains how Aramex’s healthcare hub in Dubai supports that ambition, alongside plans to replicate capabilities in Asia, Europe and Africa.

The interview also covers Hyderabad, lessons from his career at DHL and his ambition to build logistics services with less bureaucracy. He closes with a clear statement about Aramex’s next phase: “The future of global logistics is anchored in our market (Global South), and it starts with India.”