Embraer and the Mahindra Group will establish a maintenance, repair, and overhaul capability in India should the C-390 tactical transport win the Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) requirement.
The proposed MRO facility will be capable of supporting a prospective Indian air force C-390 fleet, say the two companies in a joint release.
It will include base and heavy maintenance, structural inspections and testing, component repair and overhaul, and training. This will ensure high levels of readiness for the fleet.
“Embraer is committed to delivering not only a world‑class aircraft, but also a robust, long‑term support ecosystem tailored to India’s operational and industrial requirements,” said Bosco da Costa Junior, president and chief executive of Embraer Defense & Security.
Following a 2023 request for information, at some point India is expected to issue a request for proposals to obtain 60-80 new airlifters to replace its aging Antonov An-32s and Ilyushin Il-76s. Any contract will demand local production under the auspices of Indian leader Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ initiative.
In February 2024 Embraer and Mahindra teamed up to jointly offer the twin-engined C-390 for the requirement.
Embraer’s rivals for the requirement, Lockheed Martin with the C-130J and Airbus Defence & Space with the A400M, already have extensive industrial involvement in the country.
Lockheed is teamed up with Tata Advanced Systems, which already performs extensive aerostructures work for Lockheed, including production of the C-130J’s empennage in Hyderabad.
Moreover, the Indian air force already operates 12 C-130J-30s in a variant optimised to support special forces.
Airbus, for its part, produces the C295 locally with Tata. Recently, Airbus and Tata opened a local assembly line for the H125 light single helicopter, the first private sector helicopter production line in the country.
Separately, Embraer also signed a memorandum of understanding with Indian resources company Hindalco, the country’s biggest aluminium producer.
The MOU will see the pair explore business opportunities in India, specifically possibilities in aerospace grade aluminium.
“This joint action reinforces our focus to identifying local partners that can become our suppliers and, in doing so, accelerate the development of the Indian industrial base,” said Roberto Chaves, Embraer’s supply chain leader.
“The initiative enhances Embraer’s engagement to advancing the aerospace ecosystem in India, creating long‑term value across the entire supply chain”.
