What ‘Made in India’ C295 aircraft herald for defence manufacturing

Features of the C295 aircraft

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has previously stated that the C295’s induction “will bolster medium lift tactical capability of the IAF.” According to Airbus, the C295 is a versatile transport aircraft capable of several tasks — carrying troops and cargo, maritime patrol, airborne warning, surveillance and reconnaissance, armed close air support, medical evacuation and airborne firefighting.

The aircraft can carry up to nine tonnes of payload or up to 71 personnel at a maximum cruise speed of 260 knots (around 480 kmph). It is also equipped for air-to-air refuelling of fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters.

Powered by two Pratt & Whitney turboprop engines, the aircraft can cruise at altitudes up to 30,000 ft and can quickly take off from and land at unpaved, soft, and sandy/grassy airstrips.

India’s order

The Airbus-Tata C295 Final Assembly Line (FAL) plant in Vadodara was inaugurated in October 2024, becoming India’s first private sector FAL for military aircraft. The 40 aircraft are scheduled for delivery between 2026 and 2031.

Back in 2022, TASL set up a factory in Hyderabad where it began manufacturing major airframe components, such as fuselage and tail, in July 2023. After key sections were assembled, they were transported to Vadodara in 2024 for fitting the engine, avionics and other critical components. They will finally be readied for testing and delivery. The Vadodara FAL will have a capacity of assembling 12 aircraft every year.

The partnership involves the development of a complete industrial ecosystem — from the production of complex parts to the assembly, testing, delivery and maintenance of the complete aircraft lifecycle. The contract will include the supply of special maintenance tools, ground support equipment, test equipment, technical publications, pilot training courses, and a full-motion simulator, among other things. A training facility has also been set up in Agra. Airbus will further provide spares support for 10 years and a performance-based logistics contract for five years, ensuring the availability of 85% of the aircraft fleet to the force at any given time.

Indigenisation factor

The acquisition matters for two key reasons. First, it will replace the ageing Avro fleet, acquired in the 1960s, and provide a fillip to the IAF’s ability to carry troops and materials across the country.

Notably, the IAF also operates the C-130J Super Hercules aircraft in the medium category and the giant C-17 Globemaster III for medium and heavier loads, acquired from the US.

Secondly, the acquisition sets into motion India’s first-ever ‘Make in India’ Aerospace programme in the private sector. So far, the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has had a monopoly over manufacturing military aircraft. This will boost India’s aerospace sector and potentially create thousands of high-skilled and indirect jobs over the years.

Barring major components such as the engine and avionics, sourced from the US-based Pratt & Whitney and Collins Aerospace, Airbus will transfer manufacturing technology to TASL for most others. It is intended that 95% of the aircraft should be made in India within the next few years. The aircraft will be equipped with indigenous radar warning receivers and missile approach warning systems developed by Bharat Electronics Limited, while Bharat Dynamics Limited will provide the countermeasure dispensing system.

The airframe will comprise over 14,000 components. Tata will aim to industrialise around 3,500 parts annually. It is expected that the 32nd aircraft, scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2029, will be a nearly fully Indian C295.