India receives final C-295 transport aircraft from Spain, 'Make in India' phase begins

India has received the last of its 16 Airbus C-295 military transport aircraft from Spain, concluding the first phase of a landmark deal to modernize the Indian Air Force's fleet. The aircraft was handed over to Indian Ambassador Dinesh K. Patnaik and senior IAF officials at the Airbus Defence and Space assembly line in Seville, Spain, on Saturday. The delivery, which was two months ahead of schedule, is a significant step in replacing the IAF's ageing Avro aircraft with a modern, versatile tactical transport aircraft.

The delivery fulfills the initial part of a September 2021 contract for 56 C-295MW aircraft. While the first 16 were to be delivered in a fly-away condition from Spain, the remaining 40 will be manufactured entirely in India. This phase of the project, a major boost to the 'Make in India' initiative, will be handled by Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) at its state-of-the-art facility in Vadodara, Gujarat.

The Vadodara plant, which was jointly inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez in October 2024, is the first private-sector Final Assembly Line for military aircraft in India. The facility will be responsible for the full lifecycle of the aircraft, from manufacturing to assembly, testing, and maintenance. The first India-made C-295 is expected to roll out of this facility by September 2026, with the project also involving key public and private sector partners like Bharat Electronics Ltd. and Bharat Dynamics Ltd.