Adani Defence & Aerospace and Embraer Announce Strategic Partnership To Establish Regional Transport Aircraft Ecosystem in India

Adani Defence & Aerospace, a leading player in India’s aerospace and defence, and the flagship company of Adani Enterprises Ltd and Embraer (NYSE: EMBJ / B3: EMBJ3), a global leader in aerospace, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop an integrated regional transport aircraft ecosystem in India. The companies aim to collaborate on opportunities in aircraft manufacturing, supply chain, aftermarket services, and pilot training.

The collaborative industrial partnership will aim to establish an assembly line, followed by a phased increase in indigenization to advance India’s Regional Transport Aircraft (RTA) program, in alignment with the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative and the UDAN regional connectivity vision.

“Regional aviation is the backbone of economic expansion. With initiatives like UDAN transforming air connectivity across Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, the need for an indigenous regional aviation ecosystem has become critical,” said Mr Jeet Adani, Director, Adani Defence & Aerospace. “This partnership will also strengthen strategic relations between India and Brazil, bringing complementary capabilities together.”

This potential partnership will leverage Embraer’s deep engineering and aircraft manufacturing expertise alongside Adani’s aviation value-chain footprint that includes airport infrastructure, aerospace manufacturing, MRO services and pilot training.

“We are shaping India’s regional transport aircraft ecosystem, a bold stride toward Aatmanirbhar aviation that bridges urban-rural divides, generates high-skill employment, and elevates India’s position in the global aerospace industry,” said Mr Ashish Rajvanshi, President & CEO, Adani Defence & Aerospace.

The proposed ecosystem is geared towards supporting domestic demand while generating significant direct and indirect employment across engineering, manufacturing, logistics, and support services.

“India is a pivotal market for Embraer, and this partnership combines our aerospace expertise with Adani’s strong industrial capabilities and commitment to indigenisation,” said Mr Arjan Meijer, President and CEO, Embraer Commercial Aviation. “Together, we will evaluate the most viable, advanced and efficient solutions in support of India’s RTA ambitions, and their potential for implementation.”

Embraer has a growing footprint and long history in India, with nearly 50 Embraer aircraft and 11 aircraft types currently operating across commercial, defense and business aviation. Embraer aircraft operated by Indian Air Force include the Legacy 600 aircraft and the ‘Netra’ AEW&C aircraft based on the Embraer ERJ145 platform, meanwhile Star Air operates a fleet of 13 E175 and ERJ145 aircraft.

Adani Defence & Aerospace is India’s largest integrated private defence and aerospace player, building critical capabilities across domains and advancing indigenous aerospace and UAV manufacturing aligned with national security priorities and global requirements. With the country’s largest MRO ecosystem and a rapidly scaling pilot training platform, Adani Defence is strengthening India’s aviation value chain end to end. Its diversified portfolio spans aircraft, unmanned systems, avionics, weapons, and sustainment, anchored in long-term capability development and the pursuit of national self-reliance.

About Embraer

A global aerospace company headquartered in Brazil, Embraer has businesses in Commercial and Executive aviation, Defense and Security, and Agricultural Aviation. The company designs, develops, manufactures, and markets aircraft and systems, providing Services and Support to customers after-sales.

Since it was founded in 1969, Embraer has delivered more than 9,000 aircraft. On average, about every 10 seconds an aircraft manufactured by Embraer takes off somewhere in the world, transporting over 145 million passengers a year.

Embraer is the leading manufacturer of commercial jets with up to 150 seats and the main exporter of high- value-added goods in Brazil. The company maintains industrial units, offices, service, and parts distribution centers, among other activities, across the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Europe.

About Adani Defence & Aerospace

Adani Defence & Aerospace, part of the Adani Group, is India’s largest integrated private defence and aerospace company, building critical capabilities across land, air and sea. The company focuses on the design, development, manufacturing and sustainment of a wide range of defence and aerospace platforms and systems, including airborne surveillance and AEW&C, unmanned systems, arms and ammunition, electronic warfare and avionics, and advanced munition solutions.

With a strong emphasis on indigenous lifecycle sustainment, MRO and aviation training, Adani Defence is developing a resilient defence industrial ecosystem through strategic collaborations with credible global partners, start-ups and MSMEs. Aligned with the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, the company remains committed to long-term capability development, operational readiness and strengthening India’s national security.

For more information, please visit www.adanidefence.com

About Adani Enterprises Ltd

The next generation of its strategic business investments are centered around green hydrogen ecosystem, airport management, data center, roads and primary industries like copper and petrochem – all of which have significant scope for value unlocking.