PM Modi, Spanish PM Sanchez Inaugurate India’s First Private Military Aircraft Assembly Line in Gujarat

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accompanied by his Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez, inaugurated the Tata Advanced System Limited (TASL) an airbus facility to manufacture C-295 military aircraft in Vadodara, Gujarat, on Monday. The facility, which is India’s first private sector final assembly line (FAL) for military aircraft, is set up in collaboration with Airbus Spain. While the facility will build 40 out of the total 56 aircrafts under the C-295 programme, the rest 16 will be delivered directly by airbus from Spain in “fly-away” condition. 

“The C-295 project is a huge accomplishment for the Indian private industry as it is the first project of its kind in which a complete military aircraft will be manufactured in India by a private company,” said the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. 

The TASL will be tasked with the complete production lifecycle responsibility, including component manufacturing to assembly, testing, and final delivery. Additionally, it will also take care of maintenance and upgrade services. 

“It will involve the full development of a complete ecosystem from the manufacture to assembly, test and qualification, to delivery and maintenance of the complete lifecycle of the aircraft,” said the PMO in a press release on October 26. 

The move marks a historic milestone in India’s goal of ‘Make-in-India' initiative in the sphere of defence manufacturing. The C295 aircraft is a military aircraft, and its production will boost India’s aerospace industry and drive the country towards self-reliance. 

Moreover, apart from Tatas, public sector undertakings such as Bharat Electronics and Bharat Dynamics, along with private micro, small, and medium enterprises, will also work on this programme. 

What is the C-295 programme? 

The defence ministry headed by Rajnath Singh in 2021 had signed a Rs 21,935 crore agreement with Airbus defence and Space SA, Spain, to supply 56 C-295 transport aircraft to replace Indian Air Force’s Avro-748 planes. The deal outlined that 16 planes are to be delivered fully assembled from Spain, while the other 40 will be assembled in India at the new TASL facility in Vadodara. The 40 aircraft under the C-295 programme will be delivered by August 2031.