On Friday, October 17, 2025, the Brazilian company Embraer (Empresa Brasileira de Aeronáutica) announced that during the inauguration of its new national office in Aerocity, New Delhi, it signed a Strategic Cooperation Agreement (SCA) with India’s Mahindra Group to advance their joint offer of C-390 Millennium jet-powered medium transport aircraft to the Indian Air Force (Bhartiya Vāyu Senā) under the Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) program.
Photo and image: Embraer
The Strategic Cooperation Agreement (SCA) builds upon the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on February 9, 2024, at the Embassy of Brazil in New Delhi, expanding the scope of cooperation to include joint marketing, industrialization, and the development of India as a hub for the C-390 Millennium aircraft program. Since the signing of the MoU, the C-390 Millennium has further expanded its global user base.
Embraer and the Mahindra Group will work closely with domestic stakeholders and the Indian defense and aerospace ecosystem to identify opportunities for local production, assembly facilities, supply chain development, and Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) operations. The long-term goal is to position India as a production and support hub for the C-390 Millennium, serving both domestic and regional markets.
As Embraer emphasized, this partnership combines world-class Brazilian aerospace innovation with India’s strong industrial capabilities, strengthening the ties between both nations while positioning India as a potential development hub for the C-390 Millennium in the region.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Bosco da Costa Junior, President and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security, said:
“The agreement is a significant milestone in our relationship with Mahindra Group. India’s aerospace industry is dynamic and world-class, and together we aim to deliver the most advanced and reliable military transport solution to the Indian Air Force. This partnership is more than an aerospace deal – it reflects our commitment to ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and the growing friendship between Brazil and India.”
Vinod Sahay, Member of Group Executive Board, Mahindra Group said:
“The C-390 Millennium is unmatched in capability, efficiency, and versatility. By deepening our collaboration with Embraer, together we will ensure that the C-390 Millenium for the IAF’s MTA campaign will not only contribute to India’s security and aspirations but also supports the ‘Make in India’ philosophy and further self-reliance.”
It is worth recalling that on February 3 of this year, the Brazilian company celebrated the 10th anniversary of the maiden flight of the C-390 prototype. Since then, orders have been placed by: Brazil (19 aircraft contracted instead of the originally planned 27), Portugal (6 with an option for 10 more), the Netherlands (5), Austria (4), Sweden (4 with an option for 7 more), Hungary (2), the Republic of Korea (3), the Czech Republic (2), and an undisclosed customer (2 – possibly Morocco). Additionally, Slovakia and Lithuania are expected to order three aircraft each, although contracts have not yet been signed. The aircraft is currently being marketed in Saudi Arabia, Asia, and Poland under the Drop program (currently on hold).
The C-390 can carry a larger payload than other medium-sized military transport aircraft while flying faster and farther, and it is capable of performing a wide range of missions, including cargo and troop transport and airdrop, medical evacuation, search and rescue, aerial refueling (both as a tanker and receiver), firefighting, humanitarian operations, and operations from semi-prepared or unpaved runways such as dirt, soil, or gravel strips.
The aircraft is 33.5 meters long, with a wingspan of 33.9 meters and a height of 11.4 meters. Its maximum takeoff weight is 87 tons, with a payload capacity of 26 tons. The cargo bay dimensions are 18.5 × 3.0 × 3.4 meters, and its range with a 23-ton payload is 2,815 km. Powered by two IAE V2500-E5 turbofan engines rated at 139.4 kN each, the aircraft achieves a cruising speed of 870 km/h and a service ceiling of 11,000 meters.
The current operational fleet has demonstrated a mission readiness rate of 93% and a mission completion rate exceeding 99%.
The MTA Program
In February 2023, the Indian Air Force (Bhartiya Vāyu Senā) issued a Request for Information (RFI) for the Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) program, seeking medium transport aircraft with a payload capacity between 18 and 30 tons. The initial submission deadline was extended from December 2022 to March 31, 2023. The new aircraft will replace up to 103 An-32s (including 40 modernized An-32REs upgraded in Ukraine under a 400 million USD contract signed in 2009). Deliveries of the first units are expected to begin within 36 months of contract signing. The RFI requested proposals for the potential procurement of 40, 60, or 80 aircraft.
As reported on July 23, 2023, Lockheed Martin (with the C-130J Super Hercules) and Airbus Defence and Space (with the A400M Atlas) submitted competing bids for the MTA program.
NEWS | Embraer and Mahindra Group Forge Strategic Alliance to Introduce the C-390 Millennium to India. Read full news: https://t.co/idmij1uqwV @MahindraRise pic.twitter.com/Dp9oXk4m61
— Embraer (@embraer) October 17, 2025
