Inauguration of India's C295MW final assembly line

On 28 October 2024, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez jointly inaugurated the Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) Aircraft Complex in Vadodara, Gujarat, for the manufacture of the Airbus C295MW aircraft.

The Vadodara factory is the first in India to be operated by a private company, TASL. The inauguration marks the culmination of a long process, with Modi laying the factory's foundation stone in October 2022. The C295MW programme is a key component of India’s ‘Make in India’ policy, aimed at reducing dependence on imported arms. It is expected to create 15.000 skilled jobs directly and 10.000 indirectly over the next 10 years.

The factory will handle all aspects of the C295MW’s life cycle—from manufacture and assembly through testing and qualification to delivery and long-term maintenance.

In September 2021, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approved a large defense deal for the procurement of 56 Airbus C295MW transport aircraft for the Bharatiya Vayu Sena (Indian Air Force) to replace its BAe748 fleet. Sixteen aircraft will be purchased off-the-shelf, while forty will be manufactured in India at the new Airbus-Tata (TASL) consortium facility in Vadodara.

To date, six C295MW transporters built in Sevilla/San Pablo, Spain, have been delivered. Beginning in 2025/2026, deliveries of locally assembled aircraft will be spread over eight years.

Additionally, on 16 February 2024, the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) approved the purchase of fifteen Airbus Defence C295 maritime aircraft. This future order, pending CCS approval, includes six Maritime Patrol Aircraft (C295MPA-W) for the Bharatiya Nau Sena (Indian Navy) and nine Maritime Surveillance Aircraft (C295MSA-W) for the Indian Coast Guard.

Credit photo: Indian MoD