Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alongside Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, inaugurated the Tata-Airbus C295 aircraft manufacturing plant in Vadodara, Gujarat, on Monday. The Spanish PM is on a three-day visit to India and arrived in Vadodara for the inauguration ceremony.
The Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) facility, built in collaboration with Airbus Spain, is one of India’s most ambitious defence projects. It aims to strengthen India’s aerospace capabilities and reduce dependency on imports. The plant will produce C-295 aircraft, with 16 planes delivered directly from Spain and 40 to be manufactured locally in India.
In February, the Defence Acquisitions Council, led by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, approved the project’s initial draft, proposing 15 additional C-295 aircraft—nine for the Navy and six for the Coast Guard.
Boosting India’s Defence Manufacturing
The new facility is set to enhance India’s defence production capabilities significantly. It will support the entire process, from manufacturing and assembly to testing, qualification, and maintenance, ensuring the complete lifecycle management of the C-295 aircraft. This initiative is a significant step toward making India a global defence manufacturing hub.
The C-295 aircraft will replace the Indian Air Force’s aging HS-748 Avro fleet. Notably, this project marks the first time a private sector entity has been involved in manufacturing military aircraft in India, ending the long-standing dominance of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in the sector. The project will also see contributions from Bharat Electronics Ltd., Bharat Dynamics Ltd., and various MSMEs, fostering a robust ecosystem for aircraft production in the country.
PM Modi’s Visit to Gujarat
Following the inauguration in Vadodara, PM Modi is scheduled to visit the Laxmi Vilas Palace before proceeding to Amreli. There, he will inaugurate the Bharat Mata Sarovar at 2:45 PM and lay the foundation for development projects worth over ₹4,800 crore in the district.
This collaborative venture between Tata and Airbus is a milestone for India’s defence sector, aligning with the government’s vision of self-reliance and increased indigenization in defence production.
