New Delhi has issued a formal request for proposals to procure 60 Multi-Role Transport Aircraft for the Indian Air Force at approximately $10.4 billion.
New Delhi has issued a formal request for proposals to procure 60 Multi-Role Transport Aircraft for the Indian Air Force at approximately 1 trillion rupees ($10.4 billion).
The program aims to replace the military’s aging Soviet-era Antonov An-32 fleet and bridge the capability gap between light and heavy strategic transports.
The tender targets airlifters in the 18 to 30-tonne (39,683 to 66,139-pound) payload class, according to local Indian media, with key benchmarks set for rough, high-altitude strips, such as Advanced Landing Grounds in Ladakh and the Northeast.
Once commissioned, the new airlifters will handle troop transport, cargo drops, medical evacuations, humanitarian operations, and potential aerial refueling.
Sources said that two primary foreign bids are expected to become candidates, including Lockheed Martin’s C-130J Super Hercules, which offers a 19-tonne (41,888-pound) cargo limit, and Embraer’s KC-390 Millennium with its 26-tonne (57,320-pound) capacity.
While Airbus previously floated its A400M, the platform's 37-tonne (81,571-pound) payload capability likely exceeds the upper weight limit specified in the request.
Fly-Away and Locally-Assembled Platforms
Under New Delhi’s "Make in India" initiative, the initial batch of Multi-Role Transport Aircraft will arrive in mission-ready configuration, while the remaining will be manufactured in the South Asian country.
Domestic production requires an initial 40 percent of indigenous content, which will scale up to 60 percent throughout the effort.
Key Indian firms invited to bid include Tata Advanced Systems, which is partnered with Lockheed Martin; Mahindra Defence, which is collaborating with Embraer; Adani Defence; Reliance Defence; and state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
The winning companies must set up a domestic final assembly line alongside long-term maintenance, repair, and overhaul facilities, securing a permanent manufacturing base in support of India's expanding defense sector.
