Airbus C-295 transport aircraft is being manufactured by TATA at its Vadodara Plant in Gujarat

TATA Advanced Systems Limited has strategically positioned itself as a frontrunner for the Indian Air Force's multi-billion-dollar Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) acquisition through the initiation of a dedicated maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility in Bangalore.

The ground breaking ceremony for this facility took place in early December 2025, marking a significant step in the company's ambitions to compete for one of the aerospace sector's most substantial procurement contracts.​

The MRO facility, being developed in partnership with Lockheed Martin, represents a deliberate industrial strategy to demonstrate in-house capability and operational readiness ahead of the formal tender process expected in early 2026.

The facility is scheduled for completion by the end of 2026, with the first C-130J aircraft anticipated to arrive for maintenance operations in early 2027. This timeline positions the centre to become fully operational and demonstrate proven capacity during the critical evaluation phase of the MTA competition.​

TATA Advanced Systems has already established significant expertise in defence aerospace through its long-standing partnership with Lockheed Martin via the TATA Lockheed Martin Aerostructures Limited (TLMAL) joint venture, which was founded in 2010.

The partnership has achieved considerable manufacturing milestones, including the recent delivery of the 250th C-130J empennage (tail section), demonstrating sustained production capability and quality assurance. This established track record in manufacturing critical aero-structure assemblies for Lockheed Martin's largest transport aircraft directly translates to credibility in proposing C-130J operations and maintenance within India.​

The MRO facility will provide comprehensive support services extending beyond basic maintenance. The state-of-the-art centre will handle heavy maintenance, component repair and overhauls, structural checks and testing, structural restoration, and avionics upgrades for the C-130J fleet.

Additionally, the facility is designed to enable expanded training programs for Indian engineers and maintainers, creating a domestic pool of skilled personnel capable of managing advanced defence systems. This human capital development aligns with the government's broader "Make in India" and "Atmanirbhar Bharat" (self-reliant India) objectives.​

The facility is also positioned to eventually support the KC-130J variant and legacy C-130 B-H models, expanding its potential customer base beyond the immediate Indian Air Force requirements. Upon completion, it will join Lockheed Martin's global network of Certified Service Centres, providing international legitimacy and operational standards compliance.

This global integration creates opportunities for the facility to serve regional and international C-130 operators, potentially generating additional revenue streams and demonstrating India's capability in defence manufacturing sustainment.​

The Indian Air Force currently operates 12 C-130J aircraft and recognises their exceptional capability in high-altitude and tactical operations. The aircraft's proven performance at world-record-breaking altitudes—including high-altitude landings at Daulat Beg Oldi in the Siachen region and recent operations at Nayoma Air Base in eastern Ladakh, the world's highest operational fighter base—has demonstrated the platform's suitability for India's unique geographical and operational requirements.​

The MTA competition represents a critical acquisition for the Indian Air Force, with requirements estimated at approximately 80 medium transport aircraft in the 18-to-30 tonne payload category to replace the ageing Soviet-era Antonov AN-32 fleet.

The Request for Proposal is anticipated to be issued by early 2026 under the "Buy and Make (Indian)" acquisition category, with a projected program value between $6 billion and $8 billion.

This classified procurement represents one of the largest global transport aircraft tenders outside NATO, making it strategically and economically significant for India's defence modernisation agenda.​

The competitive landscape for the MTA contract involves multiple global aerospace giants, each proposing different platforms and partnership structures. Embraer has already formalised a strategic cooperation agreement with the Mahindra Group to advance the C-390 Millennium aircraft for the competition.

The C-390 Millennium, already selected by air forces in Brazil, Portugal, Hungary, the Netherlands, Austria, South Korea, Czech Republic, Sweden, Slovakia, and Lithuania, demonstrates proven operational success across diverse operational environments.

The Embraer-Mahindra partnership specifically targets joint marketing, localisation, and the development of India as a manufacturing and support hub for the C-390 platform, with ambitions for local manufacturing, assembly facilities, supply chain integration, and MRO activities.​

Airbus, a major competitor, has not yet publicly disclosed its Indian partner for the MTA program despite established presence through the highly successful C-295 partnership with TATA Advanced Systems.

The Airbus-TATA joint venture is currently delivering 56 C-295 medium tactical transport aircraft to the Indian Air Force, with 16 delivered from Spain and the remaining 40 to be manufactured at the Vadodara facility in Gujarat. The first indigenously produced C-295 is scheduled to roll out from Vadodara in September 2026, with production ramping to deliver all 40 aircraft by August 2031.

This parallel C-295 program provides TATA Advanced Systems and Airbus with direct operational experience in manufacturing and supporting medium transport aircraft within India, positioning them as credible bidders for the MTA contract.​

The Lockheed Martin-TATA proposal centres on the C-130J Super Hercules platform, leveraging its operational track record with the Indian Air Force, proven high-altitude capabilities, and the robust manufacturing partnership already established between the companies.

The MRO facility announcement serves as both a technical capability demonstration and a symbolic commitment to long-term engagement with India's defence sector, addressing concerns about technology transfer, sustainable supply chains, and domestic employment generation—criteria explicitly prioritized in the MTA evaluation framework.​

Broader considerations affecting the MTA program include India's concurrent transport fleet modernisation strategy and the critical airlift gap that has persisted since the early 2000s. The existing fleet comprises multiple platforms of varying lift capacity, creating maintenance complexity and training inefficiencies.

The proposed MTA is intended to provide standardised medium-lift capability positioned between the lighter C-295 (5-to-10 ton capacity) and the heavy-lift C-17 Globemaster III (70-ton capacity), addressing an operational requirement that has become acute as the AN-32 fleet ages. India operates 56 C-17 Globemaster-IIIs and has ordered 56 C-295s, with additional maritime variants being considered for the Indian Navy and Coast Guard.​

The acquisition strategy reflects India's commitment to lifecycle cost management, operational performance optimisation, and industrial participation aligned with "Make in India" and "Atmanirbhar Bharat" initiatives.

Evaluation criteria are expected to prioritise not merely procurement cost but also technology transfer potential, domestic manufacturing capacity development, and long-term sustainment ecosystem establishment. This emphasis on indigenisation creates strategic advantages for bidders capable of demonstrating genuine commitment to in-India manufacturing and MRO operations.​

TATA Advanced Systems' simultaneous advancement in multiple aerospace manufacturing domains—C-130J aero=structures, C-295 full-scale production, and now C-130J MRO operations—positions the company as a credible anchor for India's expanding defence aerospace industrial base.

The company's demonstrated absorptive capacity, quality standards compliance with global partners, and ability to integrate complex manufacturing and service operations within India enhance its competitive positioning for the MTA contract.​

The MTA program's timeline and evaluation process will shape India's defence aviation modernisation trajectory for the next two decades. The anticipated early 2026 RFP issuance will initiate formal competitive assessment, with evaluation expected to conclude by late 2026 or early 2027.

The selected platform will require assembly line establishment or expansion, workforce training and skill development, supply chain integration across multiple Indian states, and sustained domestic innovation capability development.

These requirements align naturally with established industrial partnerships, manufacturing infrastructure already operational or under development, and proven execution capability—attributes in which TATA Advanced Systems, through its joint ventures with Lockheed Martin and Airbus, possesses demonstrable advantages.​

Agencies