New Delhi, 28 September 2026 — Brazilian aerospace manufacturer Embraer has confirmed that the Mahindra Group will be its Indian partner for the Indian Air Force’s proposed 60-aircraft Multi-Role Transport Aircraft (MTA) programme, under which the company is offering the KC-390 Millennium.
The clarification was given by Embraer Defence and Security President and Chief Executive Officer Bosco da Costa Junior in an interaction with ANI. He stated that Embraer selected Mahindra after a 2023 demonstration of the C-390 in India and a subsequent assessment of the domestic industrial ecosystem. “On the military side, Mahindra is our partner to pursue this case around the transport aircraft,” he said. He added that the arrangement would not change even though other Indian firms have also received the Request for Proposal (RFP).
The Ministry of Defence has issued the RFP to five Indian companies: Mahindra, Tata, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Reliance Defence and Adani. The programme envisages an initial purchase of 60 aircraft to begin replacing the IAF’s ageing transport fleet, principally the Antonov An-32, with an option to increase the order by a further 50 per cent. Embraer is positioning the twin-engine KC-390 not only as an An-32 replacement but also as a platform that could standardise the IAF’s medium airlift fleet.
Da Costa Junior said Embraer was “fully engaged” in meeting the IAF’s timeline, noting that the service required the capability promptly in order to improve fleet availability. “I think the C-390 is the perfect fit for them,” he said.
Separate civilian partnership with Adani
Embraer drew a clear distinction between its defence and commercial strategies in India. For civilian aircraft and regional connectivity, the company is working with the Adani Group. “Adani is our partner for the civilian side. This is not going to change,” da Costa Junior said. The dual-track approach is intended to avoid any conflict between the military MTA bid and Embraer’s commercial aviation plans.
Industrial partnership and localisation
The Embraer–Mahindra relationship is not new. The companies signed a memorandum of understanding in February 2024 and expanded it into a Strategic Cooperation Agreement in October 2025, coinciding with the opening of Embraer’s national office in New Delhi. The agreement covers joint marketing, industrialisation, local manufacturing and assembly, supply-chain development and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO). Both firms have said that, if the KC-390 is selected, they intend to establish in-country MRO covering base and heavy maintenance, structural inspections, component overhaul, avionics support and training. Embraer has also indicated willingness to set up a dedicated Indian assembly line and to treat India as a regional manufacturing and support hub.
Da Costa Junior described the Indian campaign as strategically important to Embraer’s global growth. “We would like to use India as a hub for us because we need to expand our supply chain base and our MRO base,” he said. Global orders for the type stand at around 70 aircraft, including recent commitments from the United Arab Emirates and Colombia. The aircraft is already in service with Brazil, Portugal and other operators.
Competition and claimed performance
The principal competing offer is the Lockheed Martin C-130J, being pursued with Tata. Asked to compare the two platforms, da Costa Junior said: “What a C-130 can do, the KC-390 can do even better. We can carry more; we can fly faster, higher, with unprecedented rates of availability and mission accomplishment.” He cited global fleet figures of 93 per cent availability and 99 per cent mission accomplishment, adding that one operator with more than four aircraft recorded 100 per cent availability in the previous month. The aircraft has also demonstrated operations from unpaved desert runways during trials with the UAE Air Force.
The KC-390 is a jet-powered medium transport with a maximum payload of about 26 tonnes. It can carry up to 80 troops, 66 paratroopers or 74 stretchers, and can be configured for cargo airdrop, medical evacuation, search and rescue, firefighting and, in tanker form, aerial refuelling. Typical performance figures include a cruise speed of approximately 870 km/h, a service ceiling of 36,000 feet, and a range of about 2,000 km with a full 26-tonne load, extending beyond 5,000 km with a reduced payload.
Outlook
The MTA programme is one of the IAF’s most significant forthcoming airlift acquisitions and is closely tied to the government’s Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat objectives. Embraer’s confirmation of Mahindra as its exclusive military partner clarifies the industrial alignment ahead of bid submission, while leaving Adani as the Brazilian firm’s counterpart on the commercial side. A final selection will depend on operational evaluation, cost, delivery timelines and the depth of technology transfer and local production offered by each contender.
