- Cold Chain Unbroken 2025 in Hyderabad reinforced India’s role as a hub for temperature-controlled logistics, bringing together over 250 international delegates, exhibitors and policy stakeholders to discuss, showcase and disseminate innovations across air, sea and surface networks.
- The event highlighted the rapid adoption of digital vision, AI predictive systems, and modern refrigerated trucks by small and medium-sized operators, demonstrating tangible improvements in supply chain reliability for medicines, perishables and vaccines.
- CCUB has strengthened cooperation between the government and the private sector, in line with the Telangana Logistics Strategy and India’s National Logistics Policy, while paving the way for 2026 to expand the exhibition space, explore dedicated refrigerated corridors, expand cold chain solutions for agriculture, fisheries, and integrate multimodal transport.
The 2025 edition of Cold Chain Unbroken (CCUB) – held in Hyderabad – not only confirmed the event’s position as the country’s leading forum for cold chain and pharmaceutical logistics. It symbolized a deeper institutional shift in how public and private stakeholders converge to shape the future of temperature-controlled transportation across air, sea and surface networks.
From a modest gathering of thought leadership to a platform for policy dialogue, innovation launches, and business partnerships, CCUB 2025 represents a new scale of ambition. “The energy this year has been extraordinary,” said Satish Lakkaraju, founder and principal architect of CCUB and CEO of Nexgen Logistics, in an exclusive interview with Air Cargo Week. “The second day alone saw over 250 delegates – which is beyond what we expected. It shows how important cold chain logistics is to the broader logistics ecosystem,” Satish asserted.
From awareness to industry acceleration
Speaking about the journey since the inception of CCUB, Lakaraju highlighted how awareness and capacity have evolved. “We have made tremendous progress since the first edition,” he said. “Awareness has grown about product safety, patient safety, and downstream farmer safety. During COVID, technologies and containers used to transport vaccines were demonstrated for the first time at CCUB. This tells you how well the innovation here aligns with the needs of the global supply chain.”
The truth is that CCUB’s influence has extended beyond discussion to real reach. Over successive editions, India has seen significant progress in temperature-controlled trucking, digital visibility, and the adoption of AI-led predictive systems for perishables and pharmaceuticals. The once-fragmented trucking sector — long viewed as a bottleneck — is now an active participant in cold chain development, according to Lakaraju. He pointed out, “We have moved from talking about weaknesses to implementing solutions.” “Technology adoption by small and medium truck operators is accelerating, which is essential for scalability.”
Expanding the global dimension
The 2025 edition was also distinguished by its global spread. With record participation from international exhibitors and logistics players, Hyderabad has effectively positioned itself as the cold chain capital of South Asia. “We started as a small gathering of thought leaders,” said Dhiren Lakkaraju, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, Unbroken Cold Chain Services Pvt. Ltd. And co-organizer of the event. “Today, it is a launching pad for global cold chain innovations. Many companies see CCUB as their entry point into India.”
Among these milestones was the unveiling of ONE Line’s new refrigerated solution, the first time an international shipping company has launched a refrigerated shipping service at the Indian Industry Forum. “Such collaborations demonstrate how CCUB is now impacting the global cold chain ecosystem from within India,” Deren noted.
Organizers are now aiming to expand the scope of the exhibition for the fifth anniversary edition of the event in 2026. They admit that the challenge is logistical: cold chain solutions are physically large, and require significant infrastructure for display. “You can’t sell what the customer can’t touch,” Deren said. “We will create more space next year – Hyderabad will remain our flagship city, given its strong pharma, packaging and vaccine ecosystem.”
Government partnership and policy synergy
The success of CCUB has also led to alignment with state and national logistics policies. The Proactive Telangana Logistics Strategy and India’s National Logistics Policy (NLP) have provided a framework for integrating cold chain priorities – from multimodal connectivity to regulatory simplification.
“The government’s support is not marginal, but rather essential to our progress,” Lakaraju said.
“The Prime Minister’s vision of multimodal logistics corridors is starting to come true, and the cold chain is an integral part of that. The next phase will see a stronger convergence between policy innovation and private sector innovation.”
One of the most important policy themes emerging from CCUB 2025 was the need to expand cold chain coverage to include India’s agricultural and fishery exports. “We have successfully focused on medicines and vaccines,” Lacaraju explained. “But we now need to replicate this success in the perishable food and marine sectors – mango, fish, vegetables and temperature-sensitive commodities. This is where the next growth frontier lies.”
The way forward: CCUB 2026 and beyond
As the curtains close on CCUB 2025, planning for its special fifth edition was already underway. Both Satish and Deren confirmed that Cold Chain Unbroken 2026 will expand into a larger exhibition-led format, focusing on three dimensions: next-generation packaging, refrigerated shipping lanes, and sustainable intermodal integration.
“Our dream project is a dedicated refrigerated-controlled freight corridor connecting major ports and airports,” Satish said. “If Hyderabad succeeds in proving this, it could be a model to be replicated across logistics gateways in India.”
With industry heavyweights, shipping lines and policymakers pledging continued participation, CCUB has become more than just an event – it is now an institution shaping India’s cold chain transformation. As the 2026 edition approaches, the challenge lies in translating dialogue into dissemination, and aspiring to measurable logistical reform.
“Change is constant,” Satish Lakkaraju concluded. “If we don’t adapt, we will fall behind. CCUB’s mission has always been to stay one step ahead – and bring the entire industry with us.”
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