NEW DELHI: PM Narendra Modi and Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez on Monday jointly inaugurated the TATA Aircraft Complex in Vadodara for manufacturing C-295 transport aircraft, with Modi saying India’s first private military aircraft factory will not only strengthen relations between the two countries, but also provide momentum to the mission of ‘Make in India, Make for the World’.
The Final Assembly Line Plant of the aircraft, co-produced by Airbus Spain and Tata Advanced Systems Ltd in Vadodara, will roll out the first ‘Made in India’ C-295 in 2026, out of a total of 40 aircraft to be manufactured in India, according to a joint statement issued after Modi’s bilateral talks with Sanchez.
Airbus Spain is also delivering 16 aircraft in ‘fly-away’ condition to India, out of which six have already been delivered to the Indian Air Force, it said.
While all 56 are meant for the air force, govt is planning to order 15 more for the Navy and Coast Guard. The facility can also be used in the future to produce aircraft for the civilian sector.
“The C-295 aircraft factory reflects the new work culture of ‘New Bharat’. From idea to execution, the speed with which Bharat operates today is evident here,” said Modi, expressing confidence that aircraft produced in this factory will also be exported worldwide in the future. Sanchez said India can trust Spain.
Modi said India’s defence manufacturing ecosystem is reaching new heights. “Had we not taken solid steps a decade ago, it would have been impossible to reach this milestone today. At that time, no one could imagine large-scale defence manufacturing in Bharat. Priorities and identity then were centred on imports. But we chose to tread a new path, setting new goals, and today we can see the results,” he said, adding the project will generate thousands of jobs in the country.
The PM also noted that several Indian airlines have placed orders for 1,200 new aircraft. “This means that in the future, this factory will play a crucial role in the design and manufacturing of civil aircraft to meet the needs of both Bharat and the world,” Modi said.
Highlighting the growth and transformation of India’s aviation sector in the last decade, Modi remarked that India was providing air connectivity to hundreds of small cities in the country, while simultaneously working to make the country an aviation hub.
The joint statement said the leaders expressed satisfaction on the progress made in the C-295 aircraft project as a symbol of the growing defence industrial cooperation between the two countries. “In line with this growing partnership, and in recognition of the advanced capabilities and competitiveness of the Spanish defence industry and its contribution to the goals of the ‘Make in India’ initiative, they encouraged their respective defence industries in other sectors to set up similar joint projects in India.”
Modi said India’s defence exports have increased 30 times over the past decade, with the country now exporting equipment to more than 100 countries, while adding that he was looking at the inauguration beyond the manufacturing of transport aircraft.
There were many other announcements made during Sanchez’s visit, including one about an MoU for cooperation in rail transport and another on cooperation and mutual assistance in customs matters. They also announced the establishment of a Spanish Consulate in Bengaluru and operationalisation of Indian Consulate in Barcelona.
According to a list of outcomes, the two countries will set up a fast-track mechanism in DPIIT India and in Directorate General of International Trade and Investment, ministry of economy, trade and business in Spain, for facilitating mutual investments in India and Spain.