Days after Embraer and the Adani Group announced a partnership to develop an integrated regional transport aircraft ecosystem in India, President Lula’s upcoming visit is likely to see announcements related to investments and timelines for the project, sources said.

Embraer and Adani Defense and Aerospace have signed an agreement to collaborate on opportunities in aircraft manufacturing, supply chains, after-sales services and pilot training. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the two companies on January 27. However, both parties had refrained from disclosing details related to project costs, timelines and proposed location.

It is now expected that during President Lula’s visit, the details of the investments to be made by both companies will be announced, along with the indicative terms of the project, sources added. The detailed blueprint for the project, however, is likely to take longer, with a series of meetings between the two companies scheduled over the coming months.

The Brazilian president will be in India on a state visit from February 18-22 and is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 21. He is expected to be accompanied by around 14 ministers and a large delegation of top executives from Brazilian companies.

The accompanying ministers are expected to hold meetings with their Indian counterparts, while the CEOs will participate in a business forum being organized during the visit. This reflects the growing trade and business engagement between the two countries, according to a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

With the creation of a final assembly line in India, the largest Brazilian aviation company aims to increase the production of aircraft. This would mark the first commercial aircraft final assembly line in the country. Embraer manufactures fixed-wing aircraft with a capacity of up to 150 passengers.

In India, regional carrier Star Air is currently the only airline operating Embraer aircraft for commercial services. The Kolhapur-based airline, promoted by the Sanjay Ghodawat Group, plans to add second-generation Embraer aircraft to its fleet as part of its expansion strategy.

Considering the expected growth in India’s aviation sector, the government has been encouraging global aviation manufacturers to set up final assembly lines in the country under the Make in India initiative. The government is also reportedly considering incentives for customers placing orders from India’s first large commercial FAL aircraft.

Embraer already has a significant footprint in India, with nearly 50 aircraft across 11 models operating in commercial, defense and business aviation segments. The Indian Air Force operates Embraer aircraft such as the Legacy 600 and the ‘Netra’ AEW&C platform based on the ERJ-145, while Star Air operates a fleet of 13 E175 and ERJ-145 aircraft.