On 30 October 2022, the Prime Minister of India, Mr. Narendra Modi, laid the foundation stone of the Final Assembly Line (FAL) for Tata Group’s India C295 Programme at Vadodara, Gujarat. The unit will undertake aircraft manufacturing and assembly and will deliver a mission-ready aircraft in transport configuration, equipped with an indigenous Electronic Warfare Suite to the Indian Air Force (IAF). Raksha Mantri Mr. Rajnath Singh, Gujarat Governor, Acharya Devvrat, Chief Minister of Gujarat, Bhupendra Patel, Minister for Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya M Scindia, Defence Secretary, Dr. Ajay Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Rajiv Bansal and Chairman, Tata Sons, N. Chandrasekaran were among the dignitaries who were present on the occasion. In September 2021, India formalised the acquisition of 56 Airbus C295 aircraft to replace the Indian Air Force legacy Avro fleet. It is the first ‘Make in India’ aerospace programme in the private sector, involving the development of a complete industrial ecosystem: from manufacture to assembly, test and qualification, to delivery and maintenance of the complete lifecycle of the aircraft. This will be the first time in the Indian private sector that an aircraft will be manufactured in-country, from parts to final assembly. The programme will lead to the development of a strong private industrial aerospace ecosystem in India and will create more than 15,000 skilled direct and indirect jobs across the aerospace eco-system, with more than 125 suppliers qualified on global quality standards across India. Sixteen aircraft will be delivered in flyaway condition. They are scheduled to be received between September 2023 and August 2025. Remaining forty will be manufactured at the Vadodara manufacturing facility. The first Made in India aircraft is expected from September 2026.
The C-295 is a transport aircraft of 5-10 tonne capacity with contemporary technology that will replace the ageing Avro aircraft of IAF. Robust and reliable, it is a versatile and efficient tactical transport aircraft which can perform a number of different missions. The aircraft, with a flight endurance of up to 11 hours, can carry out multi-role operations under all weather conditions. It can routinely operate day as well as night combat missions from desert to maritime environments. 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 Prime Minister on the occasion said that the manufacturing facility had the power to transform the country’s defence and transport sector. He pointed out that it was for the first time that this big investment was taking place in the Indian Defence sector. Transport aircraft, manufactured at the facility, would not only strengthen the Armed Forces but also help in developing a new ecosystem of aircraft manufacturing “Vadodara, which is famous as a cultural and education centre, will develop a new identity as an aviation sector hub,” he stated. The Prime Minister expressed happiness about the fact that more than 100 MSMEs were also associated with the project. He said the promise of ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ would gain new push from this land as the project would be able to take orders for export to other countries in the future. The Raksha Mantri described the C-295 as a state-of-the-art aircraft with superior capabilities and global standards that would unprecedently add to the logistical capability of the IAF. “It is a matter of utmost importance and great pride that all 56 aircraft will be fitted with indigenous Electronic Warfare Suite to be manufactured by Bharat Electronics Limited and Bharat Dynamics Limited. Hundreds of MSMEs from across the country will be a part of this project. It is a shining example of meeting the requirements of the Armed Forces with collaborative efforts of the private sector and DPSUs,” he added. Speaking on the occasion of the laying of the foundation stone, N Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Tata Sons stated, “With the set-up of the Final Assembly Line (FAL) in Vadodara, the Tata Group will now be able to take aluminum ingots at one end of the value stream and turn it into a Airbus C295 aircraft for the Indian Air Force. This is a historic moment not only for the Tata Group but for the country, as it embraces the Prime Minister’s vision of being truly ‘Atmanirbhar’”.
“We are honoured to play a role in this historic moment for aerospace in India. Our Airbus teams are committed to supporting the modernisation of the Indian Air Force with the C295 programme, which will also contribute to the development of the private defense manufacturing sector in the country,” stated Guillaume Faury, Airbus Chief Executive Officer. “The C295 programme, in partnership with the trusted Tata Group, is strongly aligned with the Government of India’s vision of an ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India).” The IAF became the 35th C295 operator worldwide. Up to date the programme counts 285 orders, with more than 200 aircraft delivered, 38 operators from 34 countries as well as 17 repeated orders. In 2021 the C295 achieved more than half a million flight-hours. With a proven capability of operating from short or unprepared airstrips, the C295 is used for tactical transport of up to 71 troops or 50 paratroopers, and for logistic operations to locations that are not accessible to current heavier aircraft. It can airdrop paratroops and loads and can also be used for casualty or medical evacuation. The aircraft can perform special missions as well as disaster response and maritime patrol duties.
