Brazil is considering procuring the India-made light combat aircraft Tejas in the future even as the Brazil-based global aerospace company Embraer is trying to tap into India's growing aerospace market with its medium transport aircraft (MTA) programme.
A few days ago, Air Chief Marshal V.R. Chaudhari and Commander of the Brazilian Air Force Lieutenant-brigadier Marcelo Kantiz Damasceno had a meeting during which the two military heads discussed areas to further boost the defence ties between the two countries.
READ MORE: In historic flight, vice chiefs of Army, Navy, and Air Force take to skies in Tejas aircraft
In a recent interview to Times Now, Lieutenant-brigadier Damasceno confirmed that Tejas was one of the options for his country's air force.
He said according to rules the Brazilian air force should not have less than two and not more than three kinds of fighter aircraft.
"Currently, we have the F-5 and the Gripen, but after 2030, we will need maybe two more kinds as the F-5 goes. So, while the Gripen remains, the Tejas is one of the options for our second or third fighter plane," Lieutenant-brigadier Damasceno has been quoted as saying.
He said Brazil has seven squadrons of 12 helicopters each and the country is looking to add more, about 24 new choppers.
Damasceno would be in Bengaluru to look at and fly Tejas, a supersonic multirole fighter aircraft developed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
A few days ago the vice chiefs of the Indian Air Force, Army and the Navy flew Tejas, in what the defence ministry called as "a powerful testament to India's advancing integrated defence capabilities."
Meanwhile, Damasceno also made a case for Embraer's Embraer C-390 Millennium saying it is faster and carries at least as much load as Lockheed C-130 Hercules.
IAF is looking at procuring 80 medium transport aircraft to replace its aging fleet of AN32 planes.
Lockheed Martin's C-130J, Embraer Defence and Security's C-390 Millennium and Airbus Defence and Space's A-400M aircraft have emerged as top contenders for the mega contract. The IAF is currently operating 12 C-130J aircraft.