A Century of Continuity: Jeena & Company celebrates 125 years as India’s oldest family-owned freight forwarder, evolving from colonial-era trade routes to global digital logistics across 60 countries.
· Policy-aligned digital transformation: The company’s shift to paperless documentation and AI-driven shipment management supports India’s National Logistics Policy and Prime Minister Jati Shakti’s goals to reduce logistics costs to 8-10% of GDP.
· Expansion into primarily air freight: With strong operations in pharmaceutical, automotive and e-commerce, Jeena’s air freight capabilities are in line with India’s expected growth to 10 million tons in air freight handling per annum by 2030.
· Global Integration Strategy: Recent international expansion to Sydney and new partnerships in Europe and ASEAN indicate a move towards direct global trade corridors, reducing reliance on transshipment hubs.
· Legacy Meets Leadership: Under 5th Generation leadership, Jeena combines its legacy of trust and people-first values with innovation and sustainability to define India’s next era of air cargo competitiveness.
As India’s logistics and freight forwarding industry transforms into a digitally driven ecosystem, there are few names that embody legacy and innovation as compellingly as Jeena & Company. In October this year, the family-owned company – India’s oldest and among the world’s few fifth-generation logistics companies – celebrated 125 years of operations, a milestone that represents a case study in resilience, adaptability and foresight. But for industry watchers, GINA’s anniversary isn’t just an occasion to honor the past; It indicates how legacy institutions are poised to shape the next century of India’s air cargo and trade integration story.
From colonial trade routes to digital shipping lanes
Founded in 1900, Jeena & Company began as a trading and shipping agency during the late colonial period, when India’s export trade was dominated by cotton, tea and jute. Over the decades, the company has evolved alongside India’s economic and industrial trajectory – from supporting the post-independence export boom in the 1950s to liberalization in the 1990s and now, guiding it through the era of digital transformation.
Today, Jeena’s network spans 60 countries across six continents, supported by 27 offices in India, serving sectors including pharma, life sciences, automotive, engineering, retail and defense logistics. Its operations include air and sea freight, customs brokerage, warehousing and project shipping. Jeena also ranks among the largest national customs brokers in India, having pioneered paperless documentation – a first in the country’s freight forwarding industry.
At a time when India’s air cargo sector is expected to reach 10 million tons of annual handling capacity by 2030, according to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the longevity of GINA
It highlights how family-owned logistics enterprises played an integral role in shaping the country’s shipping corridors long before the arrival of modern global integrators.
A 125-Year Legacy: People, Politics, and Purpose
Speaking at the company’s anniversary event in Mumbai, Sam Katgara, Partner, Jeena & Company, emphasized the enduring principles that have guided the company’s growth. “As we celebrate Jeena’s 125th anniversary, we continue to honor our legacy of service excellence built on passion, integrity and trust. Our strength lies in our people – more than a quarter of our team has been with us for more than 15 years. Through challenges and new beginnings, our commitment remains the same: not to be the biggest, but to be the best.”
This focus on longevity and internal culture is becoming increasingly important given the rapid consolidation of the logistics sector in India. While new entrants are driving digital transformation, established companies like Jeena are leveraging institutional expertise to navigate compliance, global trade standards and air cargo certification frameworks made more stringent under the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) One Record and CEIV Pharma standards.
A new generation, a new strategy
The entry of the fifth generation leaders – Aisha, Nari and J Katgara – represents continuity and reinvention. Managing the trio is already evident in Jeena’s transformation roadmap, which is based on three key pillars: technology integration, sustainability, and human capital development.
Aisha Katgara, who leads the company’s transformation office, described this achievement as an honor and a transition. “We take great pride in our legacy of trust, goodwill and partnerships. This achievement is not just a reflection of our past, but a commitment to the future. With technology, digital transformation and our people at the heart, we are determined to take this legacy forward while shaping a future that is resilient, innovative and global.” Aisha said.
Digital transformation has become Jeena’s core strategy. The company’s move to paperless customs documentation is fully in line with India’s National Logistics Policy (NLP) and the PM Gati Shakti Framework – two major initiatives designed to reduce logistics costs to 8-10% of GDP, from 13-14% currently. By adopting electronic data interchange (EDI), AI-based cargo tracking, and customs pre-clearance tools, Jeena is aligning its operations with the government’s vision of end-to-end supply chain transparency.
The air freight dimension: expanding horizons
Air freight has always been central to Jeena’s logistics portfolio. The company handles temperature-controlled shipments of pharmaceuticals, time-sensitive spare parts for automotive customers, and express e-commerce parcels via global gateways like Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru. With India’s pharma exports crossing $27 billion in FY24 and life sciences logistics expected to grow at 9% per annum until 2030, Jeena’s cold chain investments place it at the intersection of two growth frontiers – healthcare logistics and sustainable air freight.
Speaking about this transformation, Brediman Cole, CEO, Jeena & Company, said: “We are not only celebrating 125 years in the industry; we are reaffirming our role in shaping…
The next era of Indian logistics. GINA’s mission is to blend heritage and innovation, delivering sustainable, technology-enabled shipping solutions that are globally competitive yet locally relevant.
The company’s expansion into Sydney in 2025 and its growing partnerships with European and ASEAN freight forwarders underscore the strategic effort to integrate Indian exports more directly into global supply chains without over-reliance on intermediary hubs like Dubai or Singapore. This shift reflects India’s broader push to establish direct air freight links with emerging markets under free trade agreements with the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries.
Industry Context: Logistics Renaissance in India
Jeena’s 125th anniversary coincides with the historic transformation of India’s logistics and air freight sector. The government’s National Air Cargo Policy envisions India as one of three global logistics hubs by 2030, supported by digital customs platforms, multimodal corridors, and a new wave of airport modernization led by public-private partnerships.
According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), India’s air cargo volumes grew by 10.4% year-on-year in 2024, surpassing the global average of 6.5%. Much of this growth has been driven by the pharmaceutical, electronics and e-commerce sectors, sectors where Indian freight forwarders are increasingly competing with major global companies.
As geopolitical trade tensions and US tariff regimes push manufacturers to diversify away from China, Indian integrators are emerging as preferred partners for logistics services across Asia. GINA’s longevity thus represents not only corporate resilience but national resilience as well – demonstrating how legacy logistics companies can evolve into digital enablers of India’s ‘Make in India’ and ‘Work East’ ambitions.
As Jay Katjara expressed his views: “Every successful business depends on contributions from all levels and the core values that were established at the beginning. As we prepare to lead Jeena into its next chapter, we feel the weight of responsibility and the excitement of possibility.”
Expectations: From legacy to leadership
Jeena’s journey from colonial-era freight forwarding to 21st century digital logistics reflects the broader evolution of India’s business ecosystem – from a commodity exporting nation to a high-value manufacturing and services economy. As the company enters the next century, the challenge will be to maintain its legacy of trust while expanding technology to meet new global standards of efficiency and sustainability.
In an age where logistics companies often measure success by evaluation rather than values, Gina’s resilience offers a counter-narrative: that continuity, credibility and care for people can still form the backbone of competitive advantage.
As Nari Katjara brilliantly summarized, “At Jina, we don’t measure the number of employees; we measure the number of hearts. 11% of our workforce has been with us for more than 15 years – they carry our history and values forward. We are proud to honor our heritage while shaping a global, innovative, people-based future. Through new ideas and bold ambitions, we are committed to taking this story forward over the course of The next 150 years and beyond.”
For India’s air freight and logistics sector, Jeena’s 125th anniversary is more than just a corporate celebration – it is a timely reminder that the longevity of logistics is not about surviving the past, but about shaping the future of global trade.
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