EMBRAER and Mahindra Group are continuing preparatory discussions and planning activities regarding an industrial and support ecosystem for the C-390 Millennium in India, as the companies jointly pursue the Indian Air Force (IAF) Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) programme.
As part of their ongoing preparations, Mahindra and Embraer are working with the Government of Maharashtra and have identified Nagpur for a potential Final Assembly Line for Embraer’s C-390 aircraft production in India. The proposed facility would support the local assembly and industrialisation of the aircraft in India, subject to the C-390 being selected by the Government of India and an order being placed under the IAF’s MTA programme.
The companies are working closely with the Maharashtra Government on completion of the associated processes, with the objective of ensuring that the required industrial infrastructure can be progressed expeditiously if the programme is awarded to the partnership.
Embraer Defense & Security president and CEO Bosco da Costa Junior said:“Embraer is pleased to deepen its partnership with Mahindra as we advance our preparations to bring the C-390 Millennium’s industrial capabilities to India. Identifying Nagpur as a potential location for an assembly facility is an important step in building a robust, long-term aerospace ecosystem in the country. We value the support of the Government of Maharashtra and look forward to working closely with our partners to strengthen India’s indigenous aerospace and defence capabilities, subject to the C-390 being selected for the IAF programme.”
“Mahindra is committed to building a globally competitive aerospace ecosystem in India and to creating meaningful manufacturing and technology capabilities that contribute to the country’s Atmanirbhar Bharat ambitions. As we work with Embraer on the C-390, we are preparing the industrial ecosystem required to support the programme at scale. Nagpur offers a compelling opportunity for such a capability, and we are very grateful to the Government of Maharashtra on expeditiously allotting the land in Nagpur and helping with the related requirements. These preparations are, of course, subject to the selection of the C-390 by the Government of India and the placement of the IAF order,” Mahindra Group Executive Board member Vinod Sahay added,
The proposed Nagpur facility would be a state-of-the-art facility in India bringing knowhow on aircraft assembly, system integration, manufacturing engineering, local supply chain development and others into the country. Subject to the programme award, the partnership intends to progressively integrate Indian aerospace companies into the C-390 ecosystem, to deliver manufacturing, aftermarket services, training and lifecycle support, in line with the Government of India’s Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat objectives.
Embraer and Mahindra entered into a Strategic Cooperation Agreement in October 2025 to jointly advance the C-390 for the IAF MTA programme, building on their earlier MOU signed in February 2024. The agreement envisages collaboration on industrialisation, local manufacturing, assembly, supply chain development and MRO activities in India. In February 2026, the companies also announced plans to work towards establishing a C-390 MRO capability in India, subject to the aircraft’s selection under the MTA programme.
The proposed industrialisation programme would leverage Embraer’s aerospace engineering and aircraft manufacturing expertise with Mahindra’s established manufacturing capabilities and extensive Indian industrial ecosystem. The companies will continue to engage with the Government of India, the Indian aerospace ecosystem and the Government of Maharashtra as they progress preparations for the programme.
Already selected by air forces in Brazil, Portugal, Hungary, the Republic of Korea, the Netherlands, Austria, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Colombia, the Republic of Uzbekistan, Slovakia, Lithuania and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in May, the C-390 offers unmatched capability, reliability, versatility and performance to serve tactical and strategic needs of air forces worldwide.
The C-390 is among the most modern military transport aircraft in its class and can carry more payload (26 tons) compared to other medium-sized military transport aircraft, flying faster (470 knots) and farther. It can perform a wide range of missions including cargo and troop transport, equipment and personnel airdrop, medical evacuation, search and rescue, firefighting, and humanitarian operations. It can also operate from temporary or unpaved runways. The aircraft configured with quick-installation air-to-air refuelling equipment under the designation KC-390 can operate both as a tanker and as a receiver.–-shp/adj/dl (Pix:EMBRAER)
