Story perspectives

Mahindra, Embraer to invest INR6,000 crore for C-390 line

By Drooid · Oct 3, 2026, 4:05 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Mahindra-Embraer Invest

Mahindra Group and Embraer will invest INR6,000 crore in a Nagpur C-390 assembly line if IAF selects the aircraft.
The MoU with Maharashtra commits the line to Nagpur and promises 1,000 jobs.
Mahindra and Embraer will integrate Indian aerospace firms into manufacturing, service, training and support.
They plan a February 2026 C-390 MRO capability in India.
Lockheed Martin and Tata Group are rival bidders offering C-130J-30 for IAF’s 60-aircraft MTA programme.

Summary

Mahindra-Embraer Extend

Mahindra and Embraer moved the C-390 project from a February 2024 MoU to a February 2026 framework.
The C-390 can carry up to 26 tonnes and operate from temporary or unpaved runways.
Its twin-engine design supports troop and cargo transport.
The aircraft also performs airdrop, medical evacuation, SAR, firefighting and humanitarian relief.
A Nagpur line would host system integration and manufacturing engineering for the aircraft.

History

Historical Context

India’s 2009 $1.2 billion order for twelve C-130J Super Hercules, the IAF’s first large foreign cargo-plane deal, followed a wave of C-130J purchases by Norway (2007), Canada (2008) and the UAE (2009). The acquisition proved the platform’s appeal; by 2022 the fleet reached 500 aircraft worldwide, prompting today’s Mahindra-Embraer C-390 assembly plan in Nagpur to replicate that industrial boost.

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Mahindra-Embraer Invest

Mahindra Group and Embraer will invest INR6,000 crore in a Nagpur C-390 assembly line if IAF selects the aircraft.
The MoU with Maharashtra commits the line to Nagpur and promises 1,000 jobs.
Mahindra and Embraer will integrate Indian aerospace firms into manufacturing, service, training and support.
They plan a February 2026 C-390 MRO capability in India.
Lockheed Martin and Tata Group are rival bidders offering C-130J-30 for IAF’s 60-aircraft MTA programme.

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