The Indian Air Force (IAF) is preparing to modernize its transport fleet, with the Ministry of Defence reportedly planning to procure up to 60 Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) to replace its ageing Soviet-era Antonov An-32 fleet.
The proposed ₹1 lakh crore program would represent a major transition toward a more modern, flexible, and domestically integrated airlift capability. The new fleet is expected to strengthen the armed forces’ ability to transport personnel, equipment, and supplies across challenging operational environments.
The proposed aircraft are expected to offer payload capacities of approximately 18 to 30 tonnes, placing them above the An-32 in terms of carrying capability. The reported requirement covers 60 aircraft, with 12 expected to be delivered in flyaway condition and the remaining 48 manufactured in India.
The indigenous production component is expected to include significant local content, making the program both a military fleet modernization effort and a major aerospace manufacturing initiative.
The reported Request for Proposal (RFP) invites major Indian aerospace companies, including Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Tata Advanced Systems, and Mahindra Defence, to partner with global original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The approach is intended to support a domestic production line with more than 60% indigenous content.
Potential Aircraft Platforms
The Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules, already operated by the IAF, is capable of conducting tactical and strategic airlift missions, including troop and cargo transportation through air-landed and airdrop operations.
The extended C-130J-30 variant can carry a maximum payload of nearly 20 tonnes. Tata Advanced Systems has partnered with Lockheed Martin to offer the turboprop-powered platform for the Indian requirement, leveraging the IAF’s existing operational experience with the C-130J.
Brazilian aerospace manufacturer Embraer is offering the C-390 Millennium as another potential solution. The newer-generation, jet-powered military transport aircraft has a maximum payload of around 26 tonnes.
The C-390 is designed to perform multiple missions, including cargo and troop transportation, airborne operations, medical evacuation, search and rescue, firefighting, and humanitarian assistance. Its ability to operate from temporary and unpaved runways also makes it suitable for demanding operational environments.
The aircraft has attracted international interest, including orders from several NATO members, strengthening its position in the medium military transport segment.
For India, the C-390 proposal also carries an industrial dimension. Embraer has partnered with Mahindra Defence for the MTA program, with the proposal reportedly involving domestic manufacturing and maintenance capabilities. Such an arrangement could potentially support India’s development as a regional maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) hub for the aircraft.
Operational Requirements
The importance of the MTA program is closely linked to India’s challenging geography. The country’s northern and northeastern borders include high-altitude and difficult operating environments, where military transport aircraft must deliver personnel and equipment to locations such as Ladakh.
Aircraft operating in these conditions require strong performance and suitable landing capabilities to support operations from high-altitude Advanced Landing Grounds.
The future fleet could also support specialized missions, including air-to-air refuelling, while complementing other transport aircraft entering IAF service, such as the Airbus C-295.
Military transport aircraft also play an important role in humanitarian assistance and disaster-relief operations. In June 2026, the IAF’s C-17 Globemaster III aircraft demonstrated this capability during Operation Amistad following devastating earthquakes in Venezuela.
Two C-17 aircraft transported a 41-member Indian Army medical contingent from the 60 Para Field Hospital, along with medical equipment, relief supplies, and two BHISHM Cube portable hospitals. Within India, strategic and tactical transport aircraft are similarly used to deliver disaster-relief supplies, move heavy equipment, and support civil authorities during emergencies.
Russia’s Il-276 Proposal
Russian aircraft face several challenges in competing for India’s MTA requirement, including geopolitical sanctions, supply-chain vulnerabilities, and previous disagreements over engine-control systems and co-development arrangements.
Russia has nevertheless promoted the Ilyushin Il-276, a proposed twin-turbofan medium-lift transport aircraft designed around a payload capacity of approximately 20 tonnes, as a potential replacement for the IAF’s An-32 fleet.
The aircraft originated from the Indo-Russian Multi-Role Transport Aircraft program launched in 2009, although development work was subsequently frozen in 2016. Russia’s renewed proposal has emphasized technology transfer, local assembly at HAL facilities, and the potential use of Aviadvigatel PD-14M-based propulsion.
The Il-276 concept has been presented as offering capabilities suited to high-altitude operations and compatibility with India’s existing Russian-origin military infrastructure. However, its potential prospects are also affected by India’s requirements for Western/NATO-standard engines and avionics interoperability, as well as the availability of established alternatives such as the C-390 Millennium and C-130J.
The planned MTA acquisition is therefore closely linked to the broader modernization of India’s military logistics network, with the future fleet expected to strengthen tactical mobility, strategic airlift, disaster response, and operational support across the country’s diverse and challenging geographical regions.
