CHENNAI: Maharashtra has moved ahead of Tamil Nadu in the race for a potential C-390 Millennium military transport aircraft assembly facility, with Brazilian aerospace major Embraer and Mahindra Group identifying Nagpur as the proposed site, triggering concern from former Industries Minister TRB Rajaa over the State’s failure to secure the opportunity.
Embraer and Mahindra said on October 1 that they were working with the Maharashtra government and had identified Nagpur as a potential site for a Final Assembly Line (FAL) for C-390 aircraft in India. The facility, however, will be established only if the Centre selects the C-390 for the Indian Air Force’s Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) programme and places an order.
The announcement prompted Rajaa to question why Tamil Nadu could not retain the project despite its established aerospace and defence ecosystem and engineering capabilities. He said the State had earlier showcased its aerospace strengths to Embraer and maintained that projects of this scale required sustained engagement and follow-up.
“Investment projects do not come on autopilot. They require relentless follow-up and sustained government effort,” Rajaa said in his social media post.
His reaction came after Mahindra said it was working with the Maharashtra government to complete the processes required for the proposed facility. The company also acknowledged the state government’s support in facilitating land and other requirements.
The proposed Nagpur facility is expected to support aircraft assembly, systems integration, manufacturing engineering and development of a domestic aerospace supply chain. If the partnership secures the IAF contract, Indian aerospace companies are expected to be progressively integrated into manufacturing, maintenance, training and lifecycle support.
The development has opened a fresh political debate in Tamil Nadu over its ability to compete for large aerospace and defence projects, with Rajaa questioning whether the State’s investment-promotion machinery did enough to retain a potentially significant industrial opportunity.