The Adani Group on Tuesday announced a strategic partnership with Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer to set up a regional aircraft manufacturing facility in India, marking a significant expansion of the Group’s presence in the country’s fast-growing aviation sector.
The collaboration, formalised through a memorandum of understanding between Adani Defence & Aerospace and Embraer, will see the two companies establish a final assembly line for regional transport aircraft in India.
The move is aligned with the government’s push to strengthen regional air connectivity and build domestic manufacturing capability under the Make in India and Udan programmes.
With the partnership, the Adani Group deepens its aviation footprint beyond airport operations and services into aircraft manufacturing. The group already operates several airports across the country and has interests spanning defence manufacturing, aerospace components, maintenance, repair and overhaul, and aviation training.
Adani Defence & Aerospace director Jeet Adani said the collaboration would lead to the setting up of a regional aircraft manufacturing facility in India, reinforcing the group’s long-term commitment to the aviation sector. He added that a couple of locations are currently being evaluated for the proposed facility and a final decision is expected in the coming months.
Global Manufacturing Interest
Embraer manufactures commercial aircraft with seating capacity of up to 150 passengers. While the companies did not disclose investment size or timelines, the partnership signals growing interest among global aerospace manufacturers in India as a production base.
Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha said the tie-up goes beyond assembling aircraft and focuses on building long-term capabilities. “This is not just about putting together an aircraft.
It is about progressive technology transfer, skilling, developing a robust supply chain and positioning India as a trusted manufacturing hub for regional aircraft,” he said, adding that a resilient aviation ecosystem cannot rely solely on imports.
India is currently one of the world’s fastest-growing civil aviation markets, with domestic airlines having placed orders for nearly 1,500 aircraft, largely with Boeing and Airbus. However, regional connectivity remains a key gap, particularly for Tier-II and Tier-III cities, where smaller aircraft are better suited.
Embraer, whose E-Jets have been operating in India since 2005, currently has close to 50 aircraft in the country serving the Indian Air Force, government agencies, business jet operators and regional airline Star Air.
The company has said India will require at least 500 aircraft in the 80–146 seat category over the next two decades, underlining the scale of opportunity in the regional segment.
Tapping South Asian Markets
Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said the timing of the investment was right, citing India’s manufacturing momentum and expanding aviation market. “The need for regional transport aircraft has never been stronger. This collaboration can also support manufacturing for the wider South Asian market,” he said.
For Embraer, the partnership offers an opportunity to deepen its presence in India’s civil aviation ecosystem and compete more effectively with global majors by offering cost-competitive regional jets.
Embraer Commercial Aviation CEO Arjan Meijer said India was a pivotal market for the company and that the collaboration would combine Embraer’s aerospace expertise with Adani’s industrial capabilities.
Adani Defence & Aerospace President and CEO Ashish Rajvanshi described the partnership as a watershed moment for India’s self-reliance push, adding that the phased localisation of manufacturing would strengthen the country’s regional transport aircraft programme and reduce dependence on imports.