Brazil's Embraer and Mahindra deepen ties to boost C-390 aircraft capabilities in India
- IBEF
- February 20, 2026
Embraer, the Brazilian aerospace giant, and the Indian conglomerate Mahindra Group are planning to strengthen their cooperation in the development of India’s C-390 Millennium military transport aircraft program. The objective of the partnership is to develop India’s Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) capabilities for the aircraft, pending the Indian Air Force’s selection of the aircraft in its Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) program. This comes on the heels of the strategic partnership in which the aircraft will be manufactured in India, in line with the government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative and its push to develop the country’s indigenous defence manufacturing capabilities. The partnership will not only strengthen India’s capabilities in the development and manufacturing of the aircraft, but it will also provide the country’s aviation sector with the benefits of the advanced capabilities of the MRO facility, creating employment opportunities and enhancing the country’s capabilities in the development of the Indian aerospace sector, including the potential to become a regional hub in aircraft support and maintenance services.
The aircraft, the C-390 Millennium, has the potential to meet a wide range of operational requirements, including transport, medical evacuation, and refueling, among others, and can carry large payloads in its operations. Experts state that the partnership will not only develop the country’s manufacturing capabilities, but it will also integrate Indian companies into the global value chain in the development and manufacture of aircraft and other products. Embraer currently operates several aircraft in India, including in the defence and business sectors, and the proposed MRO facility will not only meet the requirements of the Indian military, but it will also support the global fleet of the same aircraft, enhancing India’s capabilities in the development and support of the global aircraft and the Indian aviation sector in general.
Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.
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