India to Export Airbus C-295 Military Aircraft Manufactured in Vadodara, Says PM Modi
India and Spain have inaugurated the Tata Aircraft Complex in Vadodara, where the Airbus C-295 military aircraft will be manufactured for the Indian Air Force (IAF). This facility, a $2.5 billion project, is expected to serve as an export hub, producing around 18,000 components locally with minimal imports. The IAF has already inducted six C-295 aircraft, capable of carrying up to nine tonnes. The collaboration between Tata and Airbus aims to enhance India’s aerospace sector and attract further European investment.
On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez jointly inaugurated the Tata Aircraft Complex at Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) in Vadodara, dedicated to manufacturing the Airbus C-295 military aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF). Modi described the facility as a reflection of “new India’s work culture,” emphasizing its future role as an export hub for these aircraft.
The C-295 assembly line in Vadodara marks the first such manufacturing unit in India’s aviation sector, established through a collaboration between Tata Advanced Systems and Airbus Spain. The project, valued at $2.5 billion, was initiated in 2021.
“This project represents the right strategy and partnership. I believe that in the future, planes produced at this facility will be exported to other nations,” Modi stated during the inauguration. He also noted that the plant will create “thousands of jobs” and produce around 18,000 components domestically, primarily through various micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Only the aircraft engines, the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127G turboprop engines, will be imported. As part of the C-295 program, India will acquire 56 aircraft, with 16 being delivered directly from Airbus in Spain and the remaining 40 manufactured at the Vadodara facility.
Sánchez praised the collaboration, highlighting its potential to advance India’s aerospace industry and attract other European companies. A group of 200 Tata engineers is currently in Spain for training on aircraft production.
The IAF has already inducted six C-295 aircraft into its 11 Squadron, stationed in Vadodara. Capable of carrying up to nine tonnes of payload or accommodating 71 troops, the aircraft has a maximum cruise speed of 260 knots.
Modi and Sánchez have met previously at G20 summits and communicated by phone in February 2023. This visit marks the first by a Spanish Prime Minister to India in 18 years, with Sánchez scheduled to visit Mumbai before returning to Spain. Spain ranks as the 16th largest investor in India, with a cumulative foreign direct investment (FDI) of $4.2 billion from April 2000 to June 2024. The two countries enjoyed two-way trade of $9.9 billion in 2023, with Indian exports valued at $7.17 billion and imports at $2.74 billion.