BackPM Modi launches ₹22,000 cr project to build C-295 transport aircraft in Gujarat: 10 updates
By 2025, our defence manufacturing scale would cross $25 billion. Defence corridors being established in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, PM Modi said at the event
PremiumPrime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the C-295 transport aircraft manufacturing plant, in Vadodara, Gujarat on Sunday, 30 October. The C-295 transport aircraft for the Indian Air Force will be manufactured by Tata-Airbus. Apart from making 40 aircraft, this facility at Vadodara would be manufacturing additional aircraft for Air Force requirements and exports.
At the event, addressing the crowd that gathered to see PM Modi, he said, “The transport aircrafts that'll be manufactured here will not only give power to our Army 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'".
Further the Prime Minister reiterated, “in the coming years, the Defence and Aerospace sectors will be two important pillars for making India 'Atmanirbhar'. By 2025, our defence manufacturing scale would cross $25 billion. Defence corridors being established in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu would power this scale"
Here are 10 updates to this big story
-PM Modi is on a three-day visit to his home states, wherein he received a warm welcome in Vadodara. He is scheduled to launch several projects in different parts of the state where the Assembly elections are expected to be announced soon.
-The C-295 transport aircraft for the Indian Air Force will be manufactured by Tata-Airbus, said Defence Ministry officials.
-Apart from making 40 aircraft, this facility at Vadodara would be manufacturing additional aircraft for Air Force requirements and exports, as per Defence Secretary Aramane Giridhar.
-IAF officials said the first Indian Air Force squadron of C-295 transport aircraft would also be based in Vadodara.
-The aircraft built in India would be supplied from 2026 to 2031 and the first 16 fly-away aircraft are scheduled to be delivered to the IAF between September 2023 and August 2025.
-In September last year, India sealed a ₹21,935 crore deal with Airbus Defence and Space to procure 56 C-295 aircraft to replace the IAF's ageing Avro-748 planes that entered service in the early 1960s.
-Under the deal, Airbus will deliver the first 16 aircraft in 'fly-away' condition from its final assembly line in Seville, Spain within four years and the subsequent 40 aircraft will be manufactured and assembled by the Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) in India as part of an industrial partnership between the two companies.
-The project is expected to generate 600 highly skilled jobs directly, over 3,000 indirect jobs and an additional 3,000 medium-skill employment opportunities with more than 42.5 lakh man-hours of work within the aerospace and defence sector.
-The C-295MW is a transport aircraft of 5-10 tonne capacity with contemporary technology. The aircraft has a maximum speed of 480 kmph. The aircraft is capable of performing special missions as well as disaster response and maritime patrol duties. The aircraft can airdrop paratroops and loads, and also be used for casualty or medical evacuation.
-On 20 October, Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray had slammed current Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde for loosing the Tata-Airbus project. Thackeray claimed that this was the fourth major project for which other states were chosen over Maharashtra.
(With inputs from agencies)
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