Indian aerospace firm Airbus Defence and TATA will produce transport planes for the Indian Air Force.

On October 30, 2022, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of a transport aircraft manufacturing project for the Indian Air Force (IAF) at Vadodara, Gujarat, providing a significant boost to 'Make in India' and domestic aviation industry. Attendees will include Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh, the Minister of Civil Aviation Shri Jyotiraditya M Scindia, and the Chief Minister of Gujarat Shri Bhupendrabhai Patel.

It was on September 8, 2021 that the Cabinet Committee on Security gave its authorization to buy 56 C-295MW transport planes from M/s Airbus Defence and Space S.A., Spain. The Ministry of Defense and M/s Airbus Defence and Space S.A. inked a contract on September 24, 2021. to buy the plane and all its accessories.

At a press conference on October 27, 2022, in New Delhi, Defence Secretary Dr. Ajay Kumar announced that the TATA Consortium of Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) led by TASL will be the Indian Aircraft Contractor for the deal. For the first time, a private enterprise in India would be responsible for the production of a military aircraft. The full amount of money needed to finish the project is Rs 21,935 crore. The plane is suitable for both military and civilian use.

Timetable for Shipping

Arrival of the first 16 ready-to-fly planes is anticipated between September 2023 and August 2025. From September 2026 on, we might anticipate the first aircraft to be built in India.

Possibilities of aircraft

The C-295MW is a modern transport aircraft with a 5-10 tonne capacity that will replace the IAF's ageing fleet of Avro planes. It can rapidly deploy personnel and dump cargo using parachutes thanks to its back ramp entrance. One of its characteristics is the ability to take off and land in a short distance from partially prepared surfaces. The aeroplanes will improve the IAF's ability to transport supplies.

Aatmanirbharta

The project presents a rare opening for India's private sector to enter the advanced technology-driven and fiercely competitive aviation market. As a result, we should anticipate to rely less on foreign suppliers and see a rise in exports from our domestic aviation industry.

In addition, the TATA Consortium in India will do the equivalent of 96 percent of the total man hours per aircraft performed by Airbus at its manufacturing facilities in Spain. India will be responsible for the production of all necessary equipment, including over 13,400 Detail Parts, 4,600 sub-assemblies, and all seven Major Component Assemblies. Airbus Defence & Space will supply the aeroplane with components like engines, landing gear, avionics, an electronic warfare suite, and so on, while the TATA Consortium will be in charge of installing everything. The TATA Consortium will do full-system testing on the plane. The TATA Consortium site will house a Delivery Centre for the purpose of flight testing and delivering the aircraft.

Electronic Warfare equipment developed by Indian DPSUs Bharat Electronics Ltd and Bharat Dynamics Limited would be installed on all 56 planes. M/s Airbus Defence & Space would be able to sell Indian-built aircraft to civil operators and export to nations approved by the Government of India once delivery of the initial 56 aircraft to the IAF is complete.

Facilitating the Creation of New Jobs

More than 125 domestic MSME suppliers in seven different states have been discovered by the TATA Consortium. A total of 600 highly skilled jobs, over 3,000 indirect positions, and an additional 3,000 medium skill employment possibilities amounting to over 42.5 lakh man hours of work within India's aerospace and defence sector are estimated to be created as a direct result of this initiative. The Airbus facility in Spain will serve as a classroom for about 240 aspiring engineers.

At the news conference were Vice Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Sandeep Singh, Director General (Acquisition) Shri Pankaj Agarwal, and other high-ranking representatives from the Ministry of Defence and the Indian Air Force.