Airbus-Tata project a major leap in make-in-India: PM Modi

VADODARA:  Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday laid the foundation stone of a manufacturing facility in this city of Gujarat for the production of C-295 medium transport aircraft for the Indian Air Force. The aircraft will be produced by a consortium of European aerospace major Airbus and the Tata Group. It is the first project of its kind in which a military aircraft will be manufactured in India by a private company. The total cost of the project is Rs 21,935 crore.

Hailing the project, Prime Minister said, “The transport aircrafts that’ll be manufactured here will not only give power to our Armed forces but also develop a new ecosystem of manufacturing aircraft... Soon, India will witness the passenger aircraft that will be made with the tag of ‘Make In India’” he added, “Today, India is one of the fastest-developing aviation sectors. We are soon to enter the list of the top three nations in terms of air traffic. In the coming 10-15years, India will require over 2,000 passenger and cargo aircraft. This reflects how fast we’ll be developing.”

There are 34 other countries which operate the C-295. The aircraft can be used for civilian purposes as well.  The approval of the Cabinet Committee on Security for the procurement of fifty-six C-295 MW transport aircraft from Airbus Defence and Space SA, Spain for the Indian Air Force was accorded in September 2021.

The Prime Minister expressed happiness about the fact that more than 100 MEMEs are also associated with the project. He said that the promise of ‘Make in India, Make for the Globe’ will gain new push from this land as the project will be able to take orders for export to other countries in the future. Talking about reforms made by the government in the last 8 years, the Prime Minister said that India is creating an unprecedented environment for manufacturing in the country.

The aircraft will strengthen the logistic capabilities of the IAF. It can carry either 71 passengers or 44 fully equipped paratroopers or 24 stretchers.