Manufacturing of 40 C295 transport aircraft in India will be ‘transformational’: Indian Ambassador to Spain

Indian Ambassador to Spain Dinesh K. Patnaik has said that the production of 40 Airbus C295 transport aircraft in India will prove to be ‘transformational’. Also, this will create an environment for world-class aircraft manufacturing in the country, which will also help in the manufacturing of other aircraft in the country in the long run. The Indian Air Force on Wednesday received its first C295 aircraft, almost two years after signing an agreement to purchase the aircraft from Air Base Defense and Space for Rs 21,935 crore. Under this, Airbus will initially supply sixteen C295 aircraft in ready condition from the Seville plant by 2025 and the remaining 40 aircraft will then be manufactured and assembled in India by Tata Advanced Systems (TASL), under an industrial partnership between the two companies. Will do.

“The C295 project will be transformative as it will create a world-class aircraft manufacturing ecosystem in India,” Patnaik said in an interview with PTI. The first C295 aircraft will be supplied under the ‘Make in India’ initiative by Vadodara manufacturing unit. The delivery from the center is expected in September 2026, while the last aircraft is likely to be delivered to the Air Force in August 2031. This will be the first time that a military aircraft will be manufactured by a private company in India. Officials said India is considering purchasing more C295 aircraft to replace the Indian Air Force’s aging fleet of cargo aircraft. After the delivery of the first aircraft by Airbus to the Indian Air Force (IAF), Patnaik said the C295 project is not just about purchasing aircraft, but is very important in creating an ecosystem of aircraft manufacturing in India.

He said, “We still do not have an environment for aircraft manufacturing in the private sector, whereas this is the case in all major countries of the world. The C295 project will create a new ecosystem for aircraft manufacturing in India. Patnaik is coordinating with various stakeholders to ensure timely implementation of the project. He said that the establishment of aviation industry will help India to develop and manufacture various categories of aircraft in future. The C295 is considered an improved aircraft, used for tactical transport of 71 troops or 50 paratroopers and to deliver supplies to locations where currently heavier aircraft cannot reach. In October last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation stone of the C295 manufacturing center in Vadodara.

The Indian Air Force is purchasing C295 aircraft to replace its aging Avro-748 cargo aircraft, which entered service six decades ago. Patnaik said, “In the last several decades, we purchased a large number of aircraft, but did not try to create an aircraft manufacturing ecosystem in the country. This project will create an environment for aircraft manufacturing in India. This will make it easier to manufacture aircraft in the country. Officials said that the Indian Air Force will be the largest operator of C295 aircraft.

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