Embraer and Mahindra sign strategic cooperation agreement to bring C-390 Millennium to India

Mahindra Group said on Friday that it has signed a cooperation agreement with Embraer to advance the C-390 Millennium Aircraft for the Indian Air Force’s Medium Transport Aircraft Programme. The agreement was signed alongside the inauguration of Embraer’s office in Aerocity, New Delhi.

Embraer and the Mahindra Group will work closely with key stakeholders in India, engaging with the country’s military and aerospace ecosystem to identify opportunities for local manufacturing, assembly facilities, supply chain development, and MRO activities. The long-term ambition of this partnership is to establish India as the manufacturing and support hub for the C-390 Millennium aircraft, serving both domestic and regional requirements.

This agreement will build upon the memorandum of understanding signed in February of last year at the Embassy of Brazil in New Delhi. It will deepen the scope of cooperation between the two parties to include joint marketing and industrialisation, and aims to unite Brazil’s aerospace innovation with India’s manufacturing prowess. It will also help strengthen bilateral ties between the two nations.

“The agreement is a significant milestone in our relationship with the 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,” said Bosco da Costa Junior, president and CEO, Embraer Defence and Security.

According to Vinod Sahay, Member of the Group Executive Board, Mahindra Group, the deepened relationship with Embraer, the C-390 Millennium for IAF’s MTA campaign will not only contribute to India’s security and aspirations, but also further the ‘Make in India’ philosophy and support self-reliance.

The C-390 Millennium Aircraft can carry more payload—26 tonnes—than any other medium-sized military transport aircraft, according to Embraer, and flies faster—470 knots—and farther. The aircraft is capable of performing a variety of missions, including cargo and troop transport, airdrops, medical evacuations, search and rescue operations, firefighting, and humanitarian assistance.

The aircraft is also capable of operating from makeshift or unpaved runways. It can also be configured for air-to-air refuelling, both as a tanker and as a receiver. The current fleet boasts a mission completion rate of over 99%. Numerous air forces, including Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Brazil, Portugal, and South Korea, among others, have already deployed it.