Adani Defence & Aerospace and Embraer have advanced plans to establish a Final Assembly Line (FAL) for the E175 regional jet in India, formalising an enhanced Memorandum of Understanding in New Delhi.
The agreement—exchanged between Embraer CEO Francisco Gomes Neto and Jeet Adani, Director of Adani Defence & Aerospace—was witnessed by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and India’s Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, underscoring the strategic dimension of the India–Brazil partnership.
Industrial Scope
The proposed FAL would support India’s Regional Transport Aircraft (RTA) program and form part of a broader effort to build a domestic aerospace ecosystem. The collaboration covers:
- Aircraft manufacturing and final assembly
- Development of a localised supply chain
- Aftermarket services and MRO
- Pilot training infrastructure
- Securing aircraft orders to underpin the FAL’s business case
The E175—part of the E-Jets family—is configured for up to 88 passengers and is positioned as a fit for high-frequency regional operations. The partners argue it aligns with India’s push for enhanced Tier-2 and Tier-3 connectivity under the UDAN regional air connectivity scheme.
Market Rationale
India, one of the fastest-growing aviation markets globally, is projected to require approximately 500 aircraft in the 80- to 146-seat category over the next two decades. The E175 is being positioned to address “blue ocean” regional markets underserved by larger narrowbody aircraft, enabling thinner routes and higher frequency service.
Strategic Context
For Adani Defence & Aerospace, the initiative supports India’s “Aatmanirbhar” (self-reliant) industrial policy, aiming to localise aerospace capability across manufacturing, MRO, and training. For Embraer, it deepens its footprint in a country where nearly 50 Embraer aircraft already operate across commercial, defence, and business aviation segments.
If realised, the E175 FAL would mark a significant step in India’s ambition to develop an indigenous regional jet ecosystem while reinforcing bilateral industrial cooperation between India and Brazil.