Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Monday jointly inaugurated an aircraft manufacturing facility in Gujarat's Vadodara, which will collaborate with Spain's Airbus to develop fighter aircraft.
The Tata aircraft complex, slated to manufacture 40 C-295 aircraft beginning in 2026, will be producing India's first privately built military aircraft.
Addressing the event, PM Modi said that the aircraft manufacturing facility will enhance defence capabilities and strengthen relations between India and Spain. He said, "From today, we are giving a new direction to India and Spain's partnership. We are inaugurating the production factory of C-295 aircraft. This factory will strengthen India-Spain relations..."
"It will also strengthen our 'Make in India, Make for the World' mission. This ecosystem will help make the first civil aircraft in the country," PM Modi added.
Sanchez remarked, in addition to contributing to modernising India's defence capabilities, the facility will also drive technological development.
He said, "This aircraft is a symbol of the Spanish and European aeronautical industry. In addition to contributing to modernising India's defence capabilities, it will also drive technological development, particularly for the state of Gujarat, India's leading manufacturing hub. Thousands of direct and indirect jobs will be created here and a new generation of highly qualified engineers and technicians will be trained".
A total of 56 aircraft are to be developed under the Tata-Airbus C-295 program. Of these, 16 are being delivered directly by Airbus from Spain, while the remaining 40 are to be made in India. The Tata Aircaft Complex is responsible for manufacturing these 40 aircraft in India. This facility will be the first private sector Final Assembly Line (FAL) for military aircraft in India.
The first aircraft from the Tata facility will be manufactured in 2026.
The aircraft programme involves the full development of a complete ecosystem, from manufacturing to assembly, testing and qualification, delivery, and maintenance throughout the complete life cycle of the aircraft, according to officials.
Apart from the Tatas, leading defence public sector units, such as Bharat Electronics and Bharat Dynamics, as well as private micro, small, and medium enterprises, will contribute to this program.
PM Modi laid the foundation stone for the Vadodara final assembly line in October 2022.
The two leaders also held a roadshow in the city earlier on Monday as they travelled in an open jeep and greeted people standing on both sides of the route from the airport to the Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) campus.
Sanchez landed in Vadodara around 1.30 am as he began his maiden official visit to India. He is scheduled to visit Mumbai on Tuesday before returning to Spain.
The two leaders will also visit the historic Laxmi Vilas Palace, where they will hold a bilateral meeting organised by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). They will have lunch at the palace before proceeding to their respective destinations, officials said.
