PM Modi and Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez jointly inaugurated the TATA airbus C295 aircraft plant facility in Vadodara Gujrat today. This facility is India’s first private sector final assembly line for military aircraft in India. The TATA Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) and Airbus Defence and Space (Airbus DS) are going to work in collaboration in this facility.
Post the inauguration, PM Modi shared some pictures from the event in form of a tweet on X.
A boost to ‘Make in India’ and India-Spain cooperation!
The President of the Government of Spain, Mr. Pedro Sánchez and I inaugurated the aircraft complex in Vadodara, where the C-295 aircraft will be manufactured. #C295MadeInIndia @sanchezcastejon pic.twitter.com/pndM1PiLH5
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 28, 2024
A Significant Milestone…
The TASL facility is a significant milestone in ‘Make in India’ defence sector’s journey. It is India’s first private sector aerospace project for military aircrafts. Under the C-295 programme a total of 56 aircraft will be manufactured at this facility. Airbus will deliver 16 aircrafts from Spain, while the TASL will manufacture the remaining 40 aircrafts in India. This is a significant leap in the aerospace sector, as for the first time India will not only be manufacturing but also oversee the entire process of assembly, testing and maintenance of the aircrafts. Apart from TATA, leading defence-related public sector companies including Bharat Electronics Ltd. and Bharat Dynamics Ltd and MSME’s will also be contributing in this programme.
This facility will produce a multipurpose military transport aircraft that can carry up to 71 troops or 49–50 paratroopers. The Indian Air Force will equip the aircraft with indigenously manufactured electronic warfare suites. The first Made-in-India C-295 aircraft will be ready by September , and the 56th one will be delivered by 2031. With this, India will be replacing its aging Avro fleet.
An official source told PTI that other than the aero-engine and avionics, which Airbus will source, the other structural parts will mostly be made in India. That is, out of 14,000 detailed parts that will be used in one aircraft, India will manufacturer 13,000 parts.
According to a PTI news report, the facility will help generate 600 direct high-skill jobs and over 3,000 indirect jobs. It will help generate around 3,000 mid-skill positions and will create 42.5 lakh man-hours of work.
Towards Atmanirbhar Bharat…
Overall, the Tata-Airbus C295 project in Vadodara signifies a paradigm shift in India’s defence manufacturing sector. For it is not just an aerospace assembly line it represents India’s transitioning from being a mere importer towards being an exporter as envisioned under the ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ call of PM Modi. Furthermore, with this, India will not just be producing but will also be completing the entire process ranging from assembly, testing to delivery and maintenance.
According to Air Marshal Sanjeev Kapoor (Retired) the facility will have a significant impact on India’s defence manufacturing sector. He stated, “It is envisaged that by 2030, the indigenous component will increase to 78%. The increase in the Indigenous component will help the Air Force improve. As we will not be dependent on OEM or any other agency to provide us with service or space for that matter.”
With this, India is moving towards creating a domestic defence ecosystem in the country. This facility will not only boost India’s nation security, increase self reliance in defence but will also boost our economy.