India has achieved a significant milestone in its journey toward defence self-reliance with the rollout of the first “Made in India” Airbus C295 military transport aircraft from the Tata Advanced Systems facility in Vadodara, Gujarat. The development marks a historic moment for India’s aerospace and defence manufacturing sector and highlights the growing success of the country’s “Make in India” and “Atmanirbhar Bharat” initiatives.
The C295 aircraft is being manufactured through a partnership between Airbus and Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL). The Vadodara facility is India’s first private-sector Final Assembly Line (FAL) for military aircraft, a landmark achievement for the country’s private aerospace industry.
The C295 programme is part of a ₹21,935 crore deal signed between India and Airbus in 2021 for the procurement of 56 transport aircraft for the Indian Air Force. Under the agreement, 16 aircraft are being delivered in fly-away condition from Spain, while the remaining 40 aircraft will be manufactured and assembled in India at the Vadodara facility.
The aircraft is intended to replace the ageing Avro transport fleet of the Indian Air Force and is capable of tactical airlift operations, troop transport, medical evacuation, disaster response, and cargo missions. Known for its ability to operate from short and unprepared runways, the C295 is expected to significantly strengthen India’s military transport capabilities.
The rollout of the first indigenous C295 also reflects the rapid growth of India’s domestic aerospace ecosystem. According to Airbus and Tata, the programme involves manufacturing over 13,000 aircraft parts in India with participation from dozens of Indian suppliers, including several MSMEs. More than 85% of the aircraft’s structural assembly work for the India-made units will take place domestically.
The Vadodara assembly line was inaugurated in October 2024 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. At the inauguration, the project was described as a symbol of India’s growing manufacturing strength and its emergence as a trusted global aerospace hub.
The first Made-in-India C295 is expected to be formally delivered to the Indian Air Force in the coming months, with full-scale production planned through 2031. Defence experts believe the project could become a turning point for India’s private defence manufacturing sector, much like how the Maruti-Suzuki partnership transformed India’s automobile industry decades ago.
The rollout is therefore not just the launch of a military aircraft, but a statement of India’s growing technological capability, industrial confidence, and ambition to become a global leader in aerospace and defence manufacturing.