Jeet Adani underlines the critical need for air connectivity across Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities
Adani Defence & Aerospace and Embraer (NYSE: EMBJ / B3: EMBJ3) have exchanged an enhanced Memorandum of Understanding to set up a Final Assembly Line (FAL) for the E175 regional jet under India’s Regional Transport Aircraft (RTA) program.
The MoU was exchanged by Francisco Gomes Neto, President and CEO, Embraer, and Jeet Adani, Director, Adani Defence & Aerospace, in the presence of President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the Minister of Commerce & Industry Piyush Goyal, the two companies said in a release on 21 Feb.
This advancement from the initial MoU signed in January 2026 represents a significant step forward and forms part of a broader roadmap to develop an integrated RTA ecosystem in India. The MoU also represents strengthening of strategic relations between India and Brazil.
The industrial partnership will aim to establish an ecosystem for the E175. Both companies are already working together to progress all aspects of the MoU, including opportunities in aircraft manufacturing, supply chain, aftermarket services, and pilot training, and securing orders to support the proposed FAL.
“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 Jeet Adani. “This partnership will also strengthen strategic relations between India and Brazil, bringing complementary capabilities together.”
“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 Ashish Rajvanshi, President & CEO, Adani Defence & Aerospace.
“The E175 has a global track record of enabling efficient, high‑frequency regional operations and India is a key growth market in that segment,” said Francisco Gomes Neto, President and CEO, Embraer. “This signing represents a critical milestone for our partnership, as we continue to work together on all aspects of the proposed aerospace ecosystem, including securing orders for a Final Assembly Line in India.”
As one of the world’s fastest growing aviation markets in terms of passenger traffic, India is expected to require at least 500 aircraft in the 80‑to-146 seat segment over the next 20 years. This reflects a strong demand for efficient regional and short‑haul connectivity driven by smaller, efficient jets.
The E175, a proven regional jet with seating for up to 88 passengers, is uniquely suited to unlock India’s ‘blue ocean’ opportunities in uncontested market spaces concentrated in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. These markets remain underserved by larger aircraft and the E175 can enable new routes, improved connectivity, reliable operations and accelerated expansion of regional air travel. As the government accelerates efforts to bring air travel to more people, the E175 offers a proven and efficient solution for the RTA, that aligns strongly with UDAN, which is transforming air connectivity across Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities of India. Fiinews.com
