India’s first privately manufactured military aircraft, the Airbus C-295, is nearing final rollout from the Tata-Airbus facility, marking a major defence manufacturing breakthrough.

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• The Airbus C-295 military transport aircraft has entered the final assembly stage at the Tata-Airbus production facility located in Vadodara, Gujarat.
• The aircraft is being manufactured through a strategic partnership between Airbus and Tata Advanced Systems under India’s expanding indigenous defence manufacturing programme.
• Industry reports and emerging visuals indicate that the first privately assembled military aircraft in India is approaching its official production rollout phase.
• The landmark project represents a significant shift from traditional state-controlled defence manufacturing towards increased private sector participation in aerospace production.
• India signed the C-295 defence agreement with Airbus in 2021 for the procurement and domestic manufacturing of 56 military transport aircraft.
• Under the agreement, 16 aircraft will be delivered directly from Spain while 40 aircraft will be manufactured and assembled within India.
• The Tata-Airbus final assembly line in Gujarat was inaugurated in 2024 by Narendra Modi and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.
• Officials stated that the project strengthens Make in India, boosts defence self-reliance and supports the growth of India’s domestic aerospace supply chain ecosystem.