India has completed assembly of the first Airbus C295 military aircraft produced domestically at the Tata-Airbus facility in Vadodara, marking a new step in the country’s effort to expand local aerospace manufacturing capabilities.
The aircraft is now being prepared for flight testing before eventual delivery to the Indian Air Force.
Indian Air Force Deputy Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Awadhesh Kumar Bharti recently visited the final assembly line to review progress on the program, which combines Airbus technology with manufacturing work led by Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL).
New Delhi signed a contract in 2021 for 56 C295 aircraft intended to replace the Indian Air Force’s ageing HS 748 Avro fleet.
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Under the agreement, Airbus is supplying 16 aircraft directly from its assembly line in Seville, Spain, while the remaining 40 units are being assembled in India under the government’s “Make in India” initiative.
The Vadodara plant, inaugurated in October 2024 by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, is responsible not only for final assembly but also for systems integration, testing and long-term support activities.
India has become the largest customer for the C295 program with the 56-aircraft order.
The twin-engine turboprop is designed for tactical missions including troop transport, cargo operations, medical evacuation and humanitarian support. The aircraft can operate from short and semi-prepared runways, a capability considered important for missions in remote and mountainous regions of the country.
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Indian-made C295s will also incorporate locally developed electronic warfare systems supplied by Bharat Electronics and Bharat Dynamics.
The program is expected to involve dozens of Indian suppliers and local production of thousands of aircraft components as the country attempts to expand domestic defense manufacturing and reduce dependence on imported military equipment.
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