The government of India has advanced plans to overhaul its tactical airlift fleet after the Defence Procurement Board approved a proposal to purchase 60 new transport aircraft for the Indian Air Force. Valued at roughly ₹1 trillion ($10.9 billion), the initiative will now move to the Defence Acquisition Council for review before the tendering process begins.
The acquisition will follow the country’s “Buy and Make” procurement approach, which blends imported platforms with domestic assembly. Current plans call for 12 aircraft to be delivered directly in flyaway condition, while the remaining 48 would be assembled in India through partnerships with local industry, incorporating a high proportion of indigenous components.
The new aircraft are intended to replace aging Soviet-origin transports such as the Antonov An-32 and Ilyushin Il-76, both of which have served the Air Force since the 1980s but are becoming increasingly challenging to sustain. Once operational, the modern fleet will strengthen the military’s logistics network, enabling faster troop deployments, cargo transport, and supply operations, particularly in remote and high-altitude regions like Ladakh.
A number of international aerospace manufacturers are expected to compete for the contract. Airbus could propose the Airbus A400M Atlas, while Lockheed Martin is likely to pitch the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules with support from Tata Advanced Systems. Embraer may enter the contest with the Embraer C-390 Millennium in partnership with Mahindra Defence Systems, while Russia’s Ilyushin could also participate alongside Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
Meanwhile, India continues to expand its transport fleet through an ongoing program with Airbus to acquire up to 56 Airbus C-295 aircraft, with part of the production taking place locally. The Air Force currently operates a fleet of 12 Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules tactical transport planes.
