Nearly three weeks before the Central government announced on Thursday the setting up of the Rs 21,935-crore Tata-Airbus military transport aircraft manufacturing facility in Gujarat’s Vadodara district, Union minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari had written to Tata Sons Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran hardselling MIHAN (Multi-modal International Hub Airport at Nagpur) for expansion of the Tata group's various businesses. In an October 7 letter to the Tata Group Chairman, Gadkari, who is also the Lok Sabha member from Nagpur, wrote, “In Nagpur, the Govt. of Maharashtra has created a SEZ in MIHAN (Multi-Modal International Hub Airport at Nagpur). MIHAN has ample SEZ and non-SEZ land (which) is most suitable for many Tata group companies to expand their businesses by leveraging the excellent infrastructure of MIHAN and Nagpur.” The ruling BJP has come under a sharp attack from Opposition parties after Gujarat - facing Assembly elections within the next few months - walked away with at least two mega projects in as many months: Vedanta-Foxconn on September 13, and now, Tata-Airbus. On Thursday, Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar had announced that Tata Advanced Systems and Airbus Defence and Space will manufacture C- 295 transport aircraft for the Indian Air Force in Vadodara in Gujarat. The Union Cabinet had approved the project entailing an investment of Rs 21,935 crore on September 8, 2021. Earlier, on September 15, Maharashtra Industries Minister Uday Samant had told a television channel that the state would try to get the Tata-Airbus project at MIHAN. His statement came just two days after Vedanta-Foxconn had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Gujarat to set up a Rs 1,50,000 crore semiconductor facility, drawing flak from the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance. The Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government was blamed for letting the Vedanta-Foxconn move out of Maharashtra to Gujarat. The Vedanta-Foxconn MoU with Gujarat was signed within 75 days of the newly-sworn-in government in Maharashtra and led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis. Stating that Tata FMCG companies with strong brands can open warehousing, logistics and distribution hub at MIHAN, Gadkari wrote, “All Tata group companies like Tata Steel, Tata Motors, Tata Consumer Products Ltd, Voltas etc. Tata Industries, Big Basket may enjoy the strengths of Nagpur like overnight connectivity with 350 districts of 6 states, lower rates of land, manpower and warehousing etc.” While suggesting that Air India, Vistara and Air Asia also may cut costs by making Nagpur airport a hub for operations and night parking, he said the Tata Group can plan large warehousing for aviation spares for its own use as well as for other airlines using Tata MRO facilities. He also suggested that the Tata group can consider other investments including in the IT & ITES and hospitality sectors. Assuring his full support at all levels to the Tata Sons Chairman, Gadkari said a delegation from the Vidarbha Economic Development council would like to meet him (Chandrasekaran) to explain how Nagpur could be a prospective hub for the Tata Group.
