Jayant Baranwal (Baranwal): What are the key objectives behind Embraer establishing an office in New Delhi, India?

Francisco Gomes Neto (Neto): Setting up a fully owned subsidiary and corporate office in New Delhi marks a decisive step in Embraer’s long-term strategy for India and I see lots of potential for collaboration with India’s rapidly evolving aerospace and defence landscape.

Our objective is to build a strong local foundation to drive growth across defence, commercial and business aviation, services & support, and urban air mobility.

By establishing on-ground teams in procurement, supply chain, engineering, and corporate functions, we are investing in deeper integration with India’s aerospace & defence ecosystem, supporting the ‘Make in India’ vision through local capability building and partnerships.

Baranwal: What are the reasons that reflect Embraer’s committed approach towards the Indian market and its potential requirements?

Neto: Embraer has been in India for years. We have nearly 50 Embraer aircraft and 11 aircraft types currently operating in the country from commercial aviation to defence and business aviation, all supported by Embraer’s service & support network in the country. This includes the Legacy 600 operated by Indian Forces and ‘Netra’ AEW&C aircraft based on the Embraer ERJ145 platform operated by the IAF. We also have E-Jets and ERJs operated by the regional airline Star Air.

“Our objective is to build a strong local foundation to drive growth across defence, commercial and business aviation, services & support, and urban air mobility”

We believe the moment is right to take things up a notch. We have the MTA programme firmly in focus and we believe the C-390 is the ideal aircraft for India’s defence needs. We are actively collaborating with Indian industry, including a landmark MoU signed in February 2024 between Embraer Defense & Security and Mahindra Defence Systems to evaluate the opportunity to jointly pursue the Indian Air Force’s Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) programme with the C-390 Millennium.

On the commercial aviation side, we foresee a potential for 300 aircraft over the next 10 years in the segment of up to 150 seats in India. We believe that the E-Jets family will bring significant benefits to India’s air connectivity by unlocking opportunities found in tier two and tier three cities and contributing to India’s aspirations of becoming a leading global aviation hub. As proven with Star Air – an all-Embraer operator, the E-Jets have transformed and enhanced regional connectivity.

From deepening partnerships to investing in talent and supply chains, every move underscores our commitment to meeting India’s evolving aerospace and defence needs, with a potential to assist India’s efforts towards achieving ‘Atmanirbharta’ (self-reliance).

If we secure a large order from India, be it defence or commercial aviation, we are even open to setting up a final assembly line.

Baranwal: What kind of partnership does Embraer wish to build upon with India in the coming times, beyond offering solutions to the defence ecosystem?

Neto: Embraer is looking to be a longterm, value-added partner to India across sectors.

In defence, we see our multi-mission, medium-lift, military transport aircraft, the C-390 Millennium as a versatile and effective solution for IAF’s MTA programme. As a platform equipped with the latest technological advancements it will certainly enable the acceleration of India’s defence modernisation and fulfill operational requirements.

“If we secure a large order from India, be it defence or commercial aviation, we are even open to setting up a final assembly line”

The aircraft was in India at the recent Aero India in February 2025 and especially in the last 12 months, we have received orders from more countries around the world. Lithuania joined Portugal, Hungary, the Netherlands, Austria, Czech Republic, Sweden, Slovakia and South Korea in choosing the C-390 to modernise their air forces, in addition to the Brazilian Air Force.

Beyond defence, we see immense potential in commercial aviation, business aviation, urban air mobility, and MRO ecosystem development.

We aim to deepen industrial cooperation, be it through co-development, local sourcing, or joint capability building. The goal is to collaborate more towards becoming a long-term trusted partner, fulfilling India’s aerospace ambitions, contributing to self-reliance, innovation, and export competitiveness.