An Airbus C-295. (File photo)
Vadodara: The prime minister, Narendra Modi, laid the foundation stone of the manufacturing facility of the C-295 transport aircraft in Gujarat’s Vadodara, on Sunday. At this facility, 40 C-295 aircraft will be built worth ₹21,900 crore for the Indian Air Force in a joint venture of European defence and aerospace major Airbus Defence and Space and Indian conglomerate Tata Group’s Tata Advanced Systems.
Additionally, apart from the 40 aircraft, the Vadodara facility would manufacture planes for according the IAF’s future requirements and exports. According to IAF officials the first C-295 squadron would also be based in Vadodara.
Speaking during the foundation stone-laying ceremony, Modi urged the global aerospace industry to invest in India. He said India will be requiring over 2,000 passengers and cargo aircraft in next 10–15 years.
“Today, India is one of the fastest-developing aviation sectors. We are soon to enter the list of the top three nations in terms of air traffic. In the coming 10–15 years, India will require over 2,000 passenger and cargo aircraft. This reflects how fast we will be developing,” the prime minister said.
“In the coming years, the defence and aerospace sectors will be two important pillars for making India “atmanirbhar” (self-reliant). We have a goal of exceeding $25 billion in defence manufacturing by 2025. Besides, our defence exports would be more than $5 billion,” Modi added.
Speaking on the occasion, the defence minister, Rajnath Singh, said: “It’s not just a foundation stone but a milestone in defence sector’s ‘atmanirbharta’ (self-reliant) journey. The C-295 aircraft manufactured at this facility will be state-of-the-art aircraft with superior capabilities and global standards. It’ll significantly enhance logistic capability of IAF.”
It may be noted that the Vadodara plant will be India’s first dedicated transport aircraft manufacturing facility, which is also going to be owned and operated by a private company.
Read also: All you need to know about Airbus-Tata C-295 transport aircraft project
Airbus’s chief commercial officer Christian Scherer said: “The C-295 aircraft (project) is a direct product of PM Modi’s visionary ‘Make In India’ policy – a policy that has encouraged my company, Airbus, to reimagine the way we do business in India ... On an average, we shall deliver to India over 1 aircraft every week for next 10 years.”
More than 13,400 detail parts, 4,600 sub-assemblies and all seven major component assemblies, including nose fuselage, outer wings, centre wing box, centre fuselage, rear fuselage, doors, and empennage will be manufactured at this facility.
Final assembly work, like integration of systems and assembly of aero systems of the C-295MW, will also be carried out at the facility.
Over 125 micro, small, and medium enterprises spread over seven states will benefit from this project.
C-295 is medium tactical transport aircraft of 5–10 tonne capacity with contemporary technology. It would have a capacity to carry 71 soldiers or 44 paratroopers or 24 stretchers. It can also carry out short take-off and landing from semi-prepared surfaces.
In 2021, India had inked a deal for 56 C-295MW aircraft with Airbus for the Indian Air Force. All these aircraft will be fitted with an electronic warfare suite (EWS), which is indigenously developed by defence public sector undertakings – Bharat Electronics Limited and Bharat Dynamics Limited.
Out of 56 C-295MWs, 16 will be procured in flyaway condition.
Airbus would deliver the first readymade aircraft in September 2023 and would deliver all 16 aircraft by 2025. The IAF would get its first “Made in India” C-295MW from 2026 and receive all 40 by 2031.
These aircraft will replace the IAF’s ageing Avro fleet. With the new aircraft, the IAF will become the 35th C-295 operator worldwide. So far, the Airbus’s C-295 programme, with various partners, counts 285 orders, with more than 200 aircraft delivered, 38 operators from 34 countries as well as 17 repeat orders. Last year, the C-295 achieved more than half a million flight hours.
