Monday 17 / August / 2026
NEW DELHI: India has launched two major programmes to strengthen the Indian Air Force’s transport and pilot-training capabilities, with plans to acquire 60 medium transport aircraft and 150 advanced jet trainers in deals estimated at around $12 billion.
The programmes are aimed at replacing ageing aircraft fleets while expanding domestic defence manufacturing under the government’s “Make in India” initiative.
The larger programme covers 60 medium transport aircraft capable of carrying between 18 and 30 tonnes. The project is estimated to be worth about $10.5 billion. India’s Defence Procurement Board had earlier recommended moving ahead with the acquisition, with 12 aircraft expected to be delivered in fly-away condition and the remaining aircraft manufactured in India.
The competition includes Brazil’s Embraer, which has partnered with Mahindra Defence to offer the C-390 Millennium, and Lockheed Martin, which is working with Tata Advanced Systems to offer the C-130J Super Hercules. Airbus has also participated in the programme with its A400M aircraft.
The C-390 can carry up to 26 tonnes, placing it near the middle of the Indian Air Force’s specified payload range. Embraer and Mahindra have already announced plans to develop local manufacturing and maintenance, repair and overhaul capabilities in India if the aircraft is selected.
The new transport aircraft are intended to modernise India’s ageing airlift fleet, particularly the Soviet-origin An-32s. The aircraft will also strengthen the IAF’s ability to move troops, equipment and supplies to difficult operational areas, including high-altitude frontier regions.
The second programme involves 150 Stage-III (F) jet trainers at an estimated cost of about $1.8 billion. The aircraft will replace the ageing Hawk Mk132 fleet and serve as the final training platform for fighter pilots before they transition to frontline aircraft such as the Rafale, Tejas and Su-30MKI.
India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is expected to be a key domestic contender with its HLFT-42 trainer project.
The twin procurements reflect India’s broader effort to strengthen combat readiness while developing a domestic aerospace manufacturing base. The transport programme, in particular, is being structured around substantial local production, technology transfer and industrial partnerships with foreign manufacturers.
Together, the two programmes represent a major investment in India’s military aviation infrastructure, covering both the aircraft needed to move personnel and equipment and the training platforms required to prepare the next generation of fighter pilots.
