Sustainable Cold chain: Application of emerging technologies

India, being the world’s second-largest producer of fruits and vegetables, paradoxically faces massive post-harvest losses. This wastage undermines challenges food safety and quality and sustainability goals. Recognizing these challenges, the government of India has prioritized cold chain development under numerous schemes with emphasis on infrastructure, quality assurance, green operations and integrated cold chain. Despite these initiatives, the cold chain network remains fragmented with inadequate technology adoption and collaboration between stakeholders. The need for robust cold chain systems is further accentuated by the rising consumer demand for frozen and processed foods and the increasing health and wellness concerns. This study highlights the pressing need for enhanced food safety, quality and technology-driven solutions to minimize wastage and improve sustainability. It presents sustainability indicators and the technologies that can help tackle these sustainability indicators. The study proposes a mixed method approach using both qualitative and quantitative analysis. The study will be of immense applicability to the policy and decision makers as they can prioritize investment related decision for an improved sustainable cold chain.