Embraer, Mahindra Group form strategic alliance to introduce C-390 Millennium to India
The composites-intensive military transport aircraft will be jointly promoted in India with the establishment of local manufacturing, assembly, supply chain and MRO capabilities.
Source | Embraer
In a bold step toward India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat vision, (Jacksonville, Fla., U.S.) and (New Delhi, India), have signed a landmark strategic cooperation agreement (SCA) to advance the C-390 Millennium for the Indian Air Force’s Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) program. This agreement was inked alongside the inauguration of Embraer’s national office in Aerocity, New Delhi.
The agreement builds upon the memorandum of understanding signed in February 2024 at the Embassy of Brazil in New Delhi, deepening the scope of cooperation to include joint marketing, industrialization and developing India as a hub for the C-390 Millennium. Since the signing, the aircraft has further increased its operator base globally.
Embraer and Mahindra Group will work closely with stakeholders in the country and engage with India’s military and aerospace ecosystem to identify opportunities for local manufacturing, assembly facilities, supply chain and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) activities. The long-term ambition is to position India as a manufacturing and support hub for the C-390 Millennium aircraft, serving both domestic and regional requirements.
“The agreement is a significant milestone in our relationship with Mahindra Group,” notes Bosco da Costa Junior, president and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security. “This partnership is more than an aerospace deal — it reflects our commitment to ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and the growing friendship between Brazil and India.”
The C-390 Millennium, a modern military transport aircraft, can carry more payload (26 tons) compared to other medium-sized military transport aircraft and is said to fly faster (470 knots) and farther. It is able to perform a wide range of missions including cargo and troop transport, airdrops, medical evacuation, search and rescue, firefighting and humanitarian operations. It can operate from temporary or unpaved runways. The aircraft can also be configured for air-to-air refueling, both as a tanker and as a receiver.
The current fleet, in operation, has demonstrated a mission completion rate of more than 99%. It has already been selected by air forces in Brazil, Portugal, Hungary, the Netherlands, Austria, South Korea, Czech Republic, Sweden, Slovakia, Lithuania and an undisclosed customer.
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