The first such Made in India aircraft is expected be ready in September 2026

Forty C-295MW transport aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF) will be manufactured by Airbus Defence and TATA Consortium at a facility in Gujarat, the Ministry of Defence announced on Thursday. The first such Made in India aircraft is expected be ready in September 2026.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of the project in Vadodara, Gujarat, on October 30. The initiative has been described by the government as a major boost to ‘Make in India’ and domestic aviation manufacturing.

On September 8, 2021, the Cabinet Committee on Security had approved the procurement of 56 C-295MW transport aircraft from M/s Airbus Defence and Space S.A., Spain. On September 24, 2021, Ministry of Defence signed a contract with M/s Airbus Defence and Space S.A. for acquisition of the aircraft with associated equipment.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi on Thursday, Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar said, as part of the contract, 16 aircraft will be delivered in flyaway condition and 40 will be manufactured in India by the Indian Aircraft Contractor, TATA Consortium of Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) led by TASL.

According to the Ministry of Defence, the first 16 fly-away aircraft are scheduled to be received between September 2023 and August 2025. The first Made in India aircraft is expected from September 2026.

The ministry added that the C-295MW is a transport aircraft of 5-10 tonne capacity with contemporary technology that will replace the ageing Avro aircraft of IAF. It has a rear ramp door for quick reaction and para dropping of troops and cargo. Short take-off/land from semi-prepared surfaces is another of its features. The aircraft will strengthen the logistic capabilities of the IAF.

All 56 aircraft will be fitted with indigenous Electronic Warfare suite of Indian DPSUs – Bharat Electronics Ltd and Bharat Dynamics Limited.

This is the first project of its kind in which a military aircraft will be manufactured in India by a private company. The total cost of the project is Rs 21,935 crore. The aircraft can be used for civilian purposes as well, said the ministry of defence.

After completion of delivery of 56 aircraft to IAF, M/s Airbus Defence & Space will be allowed to sell the aircraft manufactured in India to civil operators and export to countries which are cleared by the Government of India.

The TATA Consortium has identified more than 125 in-country MSME suppliers spread over seven states.

This will act as a catalyst in employment generation in the aerospace ecosystem of the country and is expected to generate 600 highly skilled jobs directly, over 3,000 indirect jobs and an additional 3,000 medium skill employment opportunities with more than 42.5 lakh man hours of work within the aerospace and defence sector of India.

In addition to this, nearly 240 engineers will be trained at Airbus facility in Spain.