PM Modi, Spanish PM Sanchez to Inaugurate TATA's C-295 Plant, India's First Private Military Aircraft Facility

Oct 28, 2024, 02:59 AM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Gujarat on Monday, October 28, to inaugurate the TATA Aircraft Complex at the Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) Campus in Vadodara, where C-295 military aircraft will be manufactured. He will be joined by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, marking the first visit by a Spanish leader to India in nearly two decades. The facility represents India's first private-sector Final Assembly Line for military aircraft. Under a ₹21,935 crore contract signed in 2021, India is procuring 56 C-295 aircraft from Airbus Defence and Space; 16 will be delivered in fly-away condition, and the remaining 40 will be manufactured at this facility, with the first Indian-made aircraft expected in September 2026. The C-295 aircraft can carry up to 72 troops or 50 paratroopers and can lift heavy cargo, enhancing the Indian Air Force's tactical airlift capabilities. This project is a significant milestone in India's Make in India initiative, boosting the country's aerospace industry and defense capabilities.