Oct 23, 2024 08:44 PM IST
This ‘Make in India’ initiative represents a new chapter in India’s aerospace sector, a state government release said
Ahmedabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, will jointly inaugurate the final assembly line of the Tata Advanced Systems Ltd’s (TASL) C-295 aircraft facility in Vadodara on October 28, a Gujarat government statement said.
The inauguration comes two years after PM Modi attended a ground-breaking ceremony of the facility in October 2022.
This ‘Make in India’ initiative represents a new chapter in India’s aerospace sector, and marks the first time an aircraft will be entirely manufactured in the Indian private sector, the statement said.
The event, which will take place at the state-of-the-art facility, marks a major milestone for India’s defence manufacturing sector and strengthens the growing relationship between India and Spain.
India formalised the acquisition of 56 C295 aircraft to replace the Indian Air Force (IAF) legacy AVRO fleet in September 2021. Airbus will deliver the first 16 aircraft in ‘fly-away’ condition from its final assembly line in Seville, Spain. The remaining 40 aircraft will be manufactured and assembled by TASL as part of an industrial partnership between the two companies.
The first of these Made-in-India aircraft is expected to roll out by September 2026, with the final aircraft set for delivery by August 2031, officials said.
The C-295 aircraft, which will be manufactured in Vadodara, is a versatile military transport aircraft with a capacity of 5-10 tonnes, capable of carrying up to 71 troops or 49 to 50 paratroopers. Its tactical design and rear ramp door allow for rapid troop and cargo deployment.