India's 1st pvt facility for making military aircraft takes wings

Vadodara: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez on Monday inaugurated the Tata Aircraft Complex in Vadodara, India's first private facility to build military planes, where C295 aircraft will be produced. A total of 56 aircraft are there under the C-295 programme, of which 16 are being delivered directly by the aircraft manufacturing company Airbus from Spain, and the remaining 40 will be built at the facility. All 56 aircraft under the agreement will also be fitted with an indigenous Electronic Warfare suite manufactured by Indian DPSUs - Bharat Electronics Ltd and Bharat Dynamics Limited.

It will involve the full development of a complete ecosystem from the manufacture to assembly, test and qualification, to delivery and maintenance of the complete lifecycle of the aircraft. The Ministry of Defence in 2021 signed a Rs 21,935-cr contract with Airbus Defense and Space SA, Spain for the supply of 56 aircraft. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Modi said the aircraft manufactured at the Vadodara facility will also be exported in the future. "The Tata-Airbus manufacturing facility will strengthen the India-Spain relations and the 'Make in India, Make for the World' mission," Modi, who laid the foundation stone of the FAL plant of C-295 aircraft in Vadodara in Oct 2022, said. Emphasizing the focus on eliminating unaccounted delays in the planning and execution of projects, Modi recalled the setting up of Bombardier train coach manufacturing facility in Vadodara as the chief minister of Gujarat.

Metro coaches made in that factory are being exported, Modi said, and expressed confidence that the aircraft made in the facility inaugurated on Monday would also be exported.

The PM also paid tribute to former Tata Sons chairman Ratan Tata, who is said to be the brain behind the project. Tata died at the age of 86 earlier this month.

“Recently, we lost the country’s great son Ratan Tata ji. If he had been among us today, he would have been happy, but wherever his soul is, he would be happy,” he said.

At the event, Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran said the project was originally conceived by Ratan Tata in 2012. “I will fail in my duty if I forget to mention that this project was originally conceived more than a decade ago, in 2012, by the then Tata Sons Chairman, Ratan Tata ji, who led the whole concept to build a relationship with Airbus and created this partnership with Airbus and laid the foundation stone for this opportunity. So, I would like to remember him for his visionary leadership in this very path-breaking initiative,” he said.

Addressing the inauguration ceremony, Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez said the partnership between Airbus and Tata will contribute to the progress of the Indian aerospace industry and will “open new doors” for the arrival of other European companies.

“This project brings together the best of two worlds. Tata is probably the best exponent of Indian industrial strength. Its products and services are present in virtually every country on the planet. Tata is a giant among giants,” he said. “This project strengthens our industrial ties while underlying our country’s deep commitment as a reliable and strategic partner,” Pedro added. This plant will be a symbol of “industrial excellence, an engine of growth and a testament to the close and growing friendship”, he said.

A gamechanger

The C-295 is a transport aircraft of 5-10 tonne capacity with contemporary technology that will replace the Indian Air Force’s ageing Avro-748 planes. The C-295 is known to be a superior aircraft used for tactical transport of up to 71 troops or 50 paratroopers and for logistic operations to locations that are not accessible to current heavier aircraft.

The aircraft, called “robust and reliable”, with a flight endurance of up to 11 hours, can carry out multi-role operations under all weather conditions. It can routinely operate day as well as night combat missions from desert to maritime environments.

The C-295 has a rear ramp door for quick reaction and para-dropping of troops and cargo. Short take-off/land from semi-prepared surfaces is another of its features.