New Delhi, Sep 21 (IANS) The Indian Air Force’s (IAF) transport fleet is now entering a new phase, with the Defence Ministry going in for the purchase of as many as 60 Medium Transport Aircraft to replace the ageing Soviet-era Antonov An-32 fleet, according to a report.

The significance of the Rs 1 lakh crore programme represents a shift towards a more flexible, modern and industrially integrated airlift capability to meet the needs of the country’s defence forces even in difficult terrain, according to an article in Vietnam Times.

The new aircraft requirement calls for a payload capability broadly between 18 and 30 tonnes. That places the proposed fleet above the An-32 in carrying capacity which will enable the IAF to undertake a wider range of tactical and operational tasks.

The tender envisages 60 aircraft, with 12 to be supplied in flyaway condition and 48 manufactured in India. The locally produced aircraft are also expected to meet a substantial indigenous-content requirement. That combination makes the programme both an operational modernisation project and an important aerospace manufacturing initiative.

Modern military transport aircraft such as the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules, already operated by the IAF, can conduct both intra-theatre and inter-theatre airlift and can deliver troops and cargo through air-landed or airdrop operations. Its extended C-130J-30 version has a maximum allowable payload of nearly 20 tonnes.

Brazilian aerospace manufacturer Embraer’s C-390 Millennium represents a different approach. It is a newer-generation, jet-powered military transport aircraft with a maximum payload of 26 tonnes. Its design allows the same aircraft to undertake cargo and troop transportation, airborne operations, medical evacuation, search and rescue, firefighting and humanitarian missions. The aircraft can also operate from temporary or unpaved runways, the article states.

The C-390 has also attracted a growing international customer base as several NATO members have opted for the plane, establishing it as one of the leading newer-generation aircraft in the medium military transport category.

For India, the platform also brings an industrial dimension. Embraer has partnered with Mahindra Defence for the Indian MTA programme, with the proposal linked to the creation of manufacturing and maintenance capabilities in the country.

The importance of the programme becomes clearer when India’s geography is considered. The country’s northern and northeastern frontiers include some of the most difficult military operating environments in the world.

Military transport aircraft have another function that extends beyond national defence — they give India the ability to respond quickly to humanitarian crises abroad.

The IAF’s C-17 fleet demonstrated that capability in June 2026 during ‘Operation Amistad’ following devastating earthquakes in Venezuela. Two C-17 Globemaster III 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, the article added.

–IANS

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