New Delhi, July 19: Union Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu announced on Sunday that India’s aerospace sector is rapidly expanding under the ‘Make in India’ initiative. The country is moving towards a future where citizens will travel in locally manufactured aircraft.
The minister shared a video of India’s first Airbus C-295 military transport aircraft, calling it a historic achievement for the nation’s aerospace and defense manufacturing sectors.
In a post on the social media platform X, Naidu mentioned his recent visit to the manufacturing unit of Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) in Vadodara, where the C-295 aircraft is being produced.
He stated, “I visited the state-of-the-art facility in Vadodara where the C-295 aircraft are being manufactured. This aircraft manufacturing facility is a testament to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of an Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India). As India strengthens its aerospace manufacturing capabilities, we are continuously moving towards a future where Indians will proudly fly in ‘Made in India’ civil aircraft.”
The C-295, developed jointly by Airbus and Tata Advanced Systems Limited, is the first military aircraft to be manufactured in India by the private sector under the government’s flagship ‘Make in India’ initiative.
This aircraft is being produced under a $2.6 billion deal signed in 2021 for the Indian Air Force’s acquisition of 56 C-295 transport aircraft. Sixteen of these aircraft will be delivered fully assembled from Spain, while the remaining 40 will be assembled at the plant in Vadodara, Gujarat.
Reports indicate that dedicated Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facilities for the C-295 fleet will also be developed at the upcoming Dholera Airport in Gujarat, further strengthening India‘s aerospace ecosystem.
The first C-295 aircraft assembled in India rolled out from the final assembly line in May and successfully completed its maiden test flight on June 10.
Following this successful test flight, the Indian Air Force congratulated all parties involved, marking it as a historic milestone in India’s journey towards self-reliance in aerospace and defense manufacturing.
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