Air TransportEmbraer Leverages BRICS Summit to Advance Deals with Vietnam and Malaysia
The BRICS summit, taking place this week in Rio de Janeiro and gathering leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and other invited nations, has become a strategic platform for Embraer to strengthen ties with key potential customers in Asia.
Executives from the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer held meetings on Sunday with delegations from Vietnam and Malaysia, aiming to deepen relationships and boost investment opportunities in both countries.
Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with José Serrador Neto, Embraer’s Global Vice President, to discuss possible orders for the E-Jet E2 family. The talks focused on supplying aircraft to state-owned Vietnam Airlines and low-cost carrier VietJet.
Prime Minister Minh Chinh previously visited Embraer’s headquarters, where he expressed interest not only in acquiring aircraft but also in attracting investments from the Brazilian manufacturer to Vietnam’s growing aerospace sector. So far, no formal agreement has been reached.
Malaysia Considers C-390 Millennium for Air Force
In a separate meeting, Embraer CEO Francisco Gomes Neto sat down with Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. According to Malaysian media, discussions centered on Embraer’s intention to invest in Malaysia as a regional aerospace hub within ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
A key topic was the potential sale of Embraer’s C-390 Millennium multirole military transport aircraft to the Royal Malaysian Air Force. Embraer is also exploring the possibility of offering the aircraft to other countries in the region. Currently, South Korea is the only customer in Asia to have ordered the C-390 Millennium, but Embraer is actively seeking to expand its presence.
The Malaysian government confirmed that the talks also included the possible sale of Embraer commercial aircraft. The company is competing head-to-head with Airbus to supply up to 150 aircraft to low-cost airline AirAsia, one of the largest carriers in the region.
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