Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez inaugurated the C-295 aircraft factory in Vadodara, Gujarat on 28th October.
These aircraft will be jointly manufactured by Airbus and Tata under the ‘Make in India’ campaign for the Indian Air Force. During this time, PM Modi also talked about the steps taken to expand the defence sector.
“Today the defence manufacturing ecosystem in India is touching new heights. If we had not taken concrete steps 10 years ago, it would have been impossible to reach this level today. We expanded private sector participation in defence manufacturing and made the public sector efficient,” PM Modi expressed during the event.
#WATCH | Vadodara, Gujarat: On the inauguration of TATA Aircraft Complex for manufacturing C-295 aircraft, PM Narendra Modi says, "…Today the defence manufacturing ecosystem in India is touching new heights. If we had not taken concrete steps 10 years ago, it would have been… pic.twitter.com/gUJTxEHfUz
— ANI (@ANI) October 28, 2024
PM Modi also remembered former Tata Sons chairman late Ratan Tata and stated that he would have been delighted to have been present on the occasion. The latter had recently passed away at the age of 86 due to age-related issues.
“But, wherever his soul is, he would be happy,” he added. The factory is India’s first private-sector aircraft manufacturing facility. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) was the only company in the nation producing aircraft prior to this.
The joint Airbus and Tata facility in Vadodara will produce Airbus C-295 aircraft on the order of the Air Force. The Indian Air Force had ordered 56 C-295 aircraft in 2021. Of these 16 will arrive from Spain while 40 aircraft will be developed in India in 2026.
All the systems and other parts including the engine are set to be installed in the Vadodara factory while their bodies will be manufactured in Tata’s factory located in Hyderabad which also develops bodies of other aircraft.
This is the first chance for India’s private sector to produce aircraft due to which the suppliers of aircraft parts in the country will be able to expand, and eventually, it will be feasible to export aircraft from India.
Furthermore, if the Air Force or Navy makes such orders in the future, they will be completed swiftly. This plant will also produce a huge number of jobs and an ecosystem for the manufacture of aeroplanes in India.
Pilots and other Air Force personnel won’t need to travel to Spain as they would be able to train here. These Airbus aircraft have been ordered by the Air Force to replace its outdated HS-748 aircraft. The nearly 60-year-old HS-748 is no longer functional in the present day.
On the other hand, the C-295 has contemporary technology and can transport military gear with relative ease. In addition, they require minimal maintenance and have a large capacity.
According to military analysts, Airbus and Tata may receive additional orders if the Air Force first approves this aircraft. The Air Force must also replace its old AN-32 aircraft in addition to HS-748.
The Air Force will be placing a very large order if they decide to replace them with C-295. This aeroplane, which Tata and Airbus are jointly developing, is unique in a lot of ways. It is essentially a plane for transporting freight.
Its primary function is to move troops or military hardware from one location to another. 73 soldiers can be transported at once by this two-pilot aircraft.
Approximately nine tons of cargo can be transported in one flight by this aircraft. It can also work as an air ambulance and does not require any special runway to land. In such a situation, it will be useful to help the Indian Army deployed in inaccessible or remote areas.
