Tata's C-295 plant launch: Here are key points on India's first private military aircraft facility
India’s first private sector military aircraft making facility was jointly inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez on Monday.
Called the ‘final assembly line,’ the facility will manufacture the C-295 military aircraft being made by Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) in collaboration with European giant Airbus. The plane is capable of carry 9.5 tonnes of payload. In a troop carrying configuration, 71 fully armed troops can be transported to even the remote unpaved landing grounds, many of those are in the Himalayas.
Spanish PM Sanchez said “Spain will fulfil its commitment to technology of transfer, which is essential for the creation of an authentic industrial ecosystem”.
This would include manufacturer of the plane to its delivery, from the production of several parts to their assembly into the plane and also maintenance of the plane, he said.
Prime Minister Modi started off by remembering Ratan Tata, who died earlier this month, by calling him ‘a great son of this country’. “Tata, would have been proud of this project,” he added.
On the project, Modi said, “I am sure planes made here would be exported to other countries too”.
Without naming anyone, Modi took a dig at his predecessors, saying “Defence manufacturing in India is touching new heights. Had we not taken steps this plant would not be possible.”
“The priority and recognition of India was of importing (weapons and equipment),” Modi said, adding that Indian defence sector changed due to right plan and right partnership.
India has created a vibrant defence industry, Modi said and added, “Our exports are up by 30 times. We are exporting to more than 100 countries.”
Though Modi did not mention the figures, data of the Ministry of Defence says India’s military equipment exports were Rs 1,941 crore in 2013-2014 and were at Rs 21,083 crore in 2023-24.
Also, the MoD data says Defence equipment making is up from Rs 46, 429 crore in 2013-2014 to Rs 1,27,265 crore in 2023-2024.
“India and Spain were connected by food, films and football,” Modi said as he recollected the last night football match between Real Madrid and Barcelona.
A total of 56 aircraft are to be produced at a cost of Rs 21,935 crore, under a joint venture Airbus and Tata. Sixteen of these planes are being delivered directly by Airbus from Spain and remaining 40 are to be made in India.
Airbus delivered the first plane from the lot of 16 was delivered in September 2023 and as of today six planes have been delivered. The deliveries of the 16 will be completed in August 2025
The first plane from the Vadodara facility will roll out in September 2026 and the remaining 39 by August 2031. Along with the aircraft, a ‘simulator’ that mimics every move and usage of the plane has also been installed at IAF's Agra station.
The C295 is a versatile, new generation tactical airlift aircraft specialised in air transport missions, under all types of weather conditions both during day and night.
Make in India will be major component for the 40 aircraft to be made in India. A substantial proportion of C295 components, sub-assemblies and major component assemblies of aero structure are planned to be manufactured in India.
Other than the aero engine and avionics, which are sourced by Airbus from other, 13,000 small and big parts needed in the C295 will be produced in India.
A total of 37 companies have already been identified by Airbus, of these 33 are MSMEs.
All 56 aircraft will be equipped with an Electronic Warfare Suite that will be indigenously manufactured by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL).
The indigenous content will rise steadily and is to reach 75 percent for the last two dozen planes being made in India.
The C295 project is an accomplishment for the Indian private industry as it is the first project of its kind in which a complete military aircraft will be manufactured in India by a private company.
