Air TransportEmbraer set to announce aircraft factory in India with Adani partnership
Embraer is preparing to announce the establishment of an aircraft manufacturing plant in India next Tuesday, January 27, according to information reported by the Brazilian media.
The facility is expected to be set up in partnership with Adani Aerospace, part of the conglomerate controlled by Indian billionaire Gautam Adani. The announcement is scheduled to take place at India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation, one day before the opening of Wings India 2026.
People familiar with the plans say Embraer is also expected to disclose its first commercial aircraft order in the Indian market during the same event. Company executives have previously indicated that a local production line would only be viable if total commitments reached at least 200 aircraft.
Invitations sent to local media describe the project as a “historic development” for India’s commercial aviation sector and frame it as a milestone within the country’s Aatmanirbharata strategy, which aims to reduce dependence on imports in sectors such as aerospace, defence, technology and energy.
Embraer said it is “constantly seeking partners worldwide to expand its business, and India is one of our priorities,” adding that any official announcement would only be made once the company is ready.
At present, Embraer manufactures its commercial aircraft exclusively in Brazil, at its São José dos Campos facility. Its business jet assembly line is located in Florida, in the United States, while the miltary aircraft are made at Gaviao Peixoto plant.
Since 2025, however, the company has taken several steps to strengthen its presence in India, including the creation of a local subsidiary and the opening of an office in New Delhi.
Later in 2025, Embraer signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the Mahindra Group focused on the marketing, industrialisation and development in India of the KC-390 Millennium military transport aircraft.
The manufacturer is competing in India for a requirement estimated at between 40 and 80 airlifters, a program that requires local industrial participation and in-country manufacturing under Indian government rules.
In commercial aviation, the potential India announcement comes as Embraer seeks to consolidate a recovery that began in the second half of 2025.
Until early last year, the division was widely seen by market analysts as the company’s weakest segment. That view began to shift after a firm order for 45 aircraft from Scandinavian Airlines announced in July.
A large-scale order in India could further reinforce that momentum and support Embraer’s target of delivering 100 to 110 commercial aircraft per year by 2030. In 2025, deliveries in this segment totaled 78 aircraft, slightly above the company’s target.
The timing of the expected partnership announcement is sensitive. According to the Financial Times, the US Securities and Exchange Commission recently sought court approval in New York to contact Gautam Adani directly as part of an investigation into alleged bribery linked to solar energy contracts in India. Adani and his nephew, Sagar Adani, have denied any wrongdoing.
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Ricardo Meier
Creator of the website that started in 1996 as a magazine. He also writes on Brazilian websites AUTOO, MOTOO and MetrôCPTM.
