Gautam Adani hopes to cement his hold on India’s skies with Embraer aircraft

Mumbai: Gautam Adani cemented his ambitions to rule the skies after he signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Brazil’s Embraer to assemble commercial aircraft in India. According to a joint statement by both companies, the MoU will explore cooperation in aircraft manufacturing, supply chains and aftermarket services, but hasn’t disclosed financial details.

“Timeline and other details will be revealed in the next couple of months. We also expect to immediately start work on the selected site parallely,” Jeet Adani, Director at Adani Defence and Aerospace said, as the company is hunting for locations and planning other details for the venture.

Currently, Embraer assembles its commercial jets only in Brazil, and has been seeking to expand in India, where the demand for regional 150+ seater jets is growing. Embraer is the world’s third-largest commercial airline manufacturer, with its E2 family competing with Airbus’s A220, even though its presence is limited to small jets.

 Embraer has nearly 50 aircraft operating in the country, with India’s Air Force, airliner Star Air and various government agencies operating their planes. Embraer aims to meet the Indian market’s demand for at least 500 aircraft over the next 20 years.

For Gautam Adani, this development comes at a time when he has been growing his presence in the aviation space far more quickly than anyone else before him. Through acquisitions, Adani Airports has already become the largest airport operator in India, while Adani Defence and Aerospace has done the same with its Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) operations, scooping up Indamer Technics in August 2025 while also venturing into pilot training by acquiring FTSC in November. 

Besides this, the company is looking to expand its airport portfolio even further, with plans to raise another $15 billion to expand its existing eight airports and bid for others in India.

This deal is expected to boost the government’s Make In India initiative, while helping Embraer tap a market it cannot ignore. Further developments are awaited.