India is moving ahead with plans to upgrade its military transport fleet after the Defence Procurement Board cleared a proposal to purchase 60 new tactical airlift aircraft for the Indian Air Force. Valued at roughly 1 trillion rupees ($10.9 billion), the initiative now awaits review by the Defence Acquisition Council before the government releases an official tender. The procurement will follow the country’s “Buy and Make” framework, a strategy designed to combine foreign procurement with domestic manufacturing to strengthen India’s defense industry. Under the proposed structure, the first 12 aircraft will be delivered directly in operational condition, while the remaining 48 aircraft will be assembled locally through partnerships with Indian defense manufacturers. Many of the components used in the locally assembled aircraft are expected to come from domestic suppliers. The modernization effort is aimed at replacing older Soviet-era transport platforms such as the Antonov An-32 and the Ilyushin Il-76, which have served the Indian Air Force for decades but are increasingly difficult to maintain. The new aircraft will significantly improve India’s ability to transport troops, equipment, and supplies quickly across long distances. They will also support operations in challenging environments, particularly in remote and high-altitude regions like Ladakh. Major aerospace companies are expected to compete for the contract. Airbus may offer the A400M Atlas, Lockheed Martin is likely to propose the C-130J Super Hercules in partnership with Tata Advanced Systems, Embraer may enter the competition with the C-390 Millennium together with Mahindra Defence, while Russia’s Ilyushin could participate with support from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
