Embraer and Indian manufacturing conglomerate Mahindra Group have identified the city of Nagpur as their chosen location for a potential C-390 Millennium final assembly line. The decision, announced on October 1, is contingent on the Indian Air Force selecting the multi-mission airlifter for its Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) program, in which C-390 is expected to compete with Lockheed Martin’s C-130J and Airbus’ A400M Atlas.
According to Embraer Defense & Security president and CEO Bosco da Costa Junior, the choice of Nagpur—a large city in the central Indian state of Maharashtra—is “an important step in building a robust, long-term aerospace ecosystem in the country.” The Brazilian aerospace and defense group added that as part of preparatory discussions with Mahindra, it is working with local government and that land has already been allotted for the venture.
Mahindra executive board member Vinod Sahay said the group “is committed to building a globally competitive aerospace ecosystem in India and to creating meaningful manufacturing and technology capabilities.”
The Indian Ministry of Defence launched its medium transport aircraft campaign in August, issuing a request for proposals outlining a requirement for at least 60 new airframes. The document states that while initial aircraft will be built by the successful OEM, subsequent units must contain a minimum 40% indigenous content: progressively rising to 60%.
The selection of a specific location for a potential C-390 line—the second in the world beyond Embraer’s existing facility in Gaviato Peixoto, Brazil—marks Embraer’s latest step towards strengthening its presence in India. In October 2025, Embraer and Mahindra entered into a strategic cooperation agreement “to jointly advance the C-390 Millennium for the IAF’s MTA program.”
In the same month, Embraer also opened a corporate office in New Delhi. More recently, it also signed a memorandum of understanding with Hindalco Industries to assess possibilities in domestic aerospace-grade aluminium raw material manufacturing.
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