India-Brazil Barter: Tejas Fighters for Embraer C-390 Jets

Brazil · Defense

Two of the world’s larger developing economies are exploring an unusual arms deal. The proposed India Brazil barter would see New Delhi hand over homegrown fighters and helicopters in exchange for Brazilian-built transport jets, with little cash changing hands.

Under the outline, India would supply Brazil with HAL’s Tejas Mk1A light fighter and Prachand attack helicopters, while Brazil would ship India fleets of Embraer’s C-390 Millennium, as Air Data News reported.

What each side gets

The C-390 is a jet-powered tactical transport that can carry up to 26 tonnes and operate from short, unpaved runways, features that suit India’s vast and often rugged geography. New Delhi is weighing an order of between 40 and 80 aircraft, a volume large enough to make the competition fierce.

For Brazil, the Tejas Mk1A is a single-engine multirole fighter with a modern AESA radar. It would sit below the Gripen in Brazil’s fleet and could help retire the decades-old F-5 Tiger IIs. The Prachand, a light combat helicopter built for high-altitude and attack roles, would add a capability Brazil does not currently field.

Why a barter, not a purchase

The appeal is strategic as much as commercial. By swapping the aircraft each other needs, the two countries avoid the tariffs, sanctions exposure and political strings that can accompany buying from Washington or Moscow. For Brazil, it also fits a broader push to reduce reliance on Western suppliers amid US trade tensions.

Embraer has separately signalled it is prepared to open a C-390 assembly line in India to support a sale, deepening the industrial dimension of any deal.

The catch

Barter arrangements of this scale are notoriously hard to close. Valuing dissimilar aircraft against each other, aligning delivery schedules and squaring two national procurement bureaucracies all take time. An official selection is expected later in 2026, but a signed contract may be a good deal further off.

If it lands, though, it would be a template: two emerging powers arming each other on their own terms.

Frequently Asked Questions

What would India and Brazil swap?

India would provide Brazil with Tejas Mk1A fighters and Prachand attack helicopters, and Brazil would provide India with Embraer C-390 Millennium transport aircraft, in a barter rather than a cash purchase.

How many C-390s does India want?

India is weighing an order of between 40 and 80 C-390 transports. Embraer has indicated it could open an assembly line in India to support the deal.

When could a deal be signed?

An official selection is expected later in 2026, but barter deals of this size are slow to move from intent to a signed contract.

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