India Receives Final Airbus C-295 Aircraft from Spain, Rest Will Be Made In India

India has received the 16th and final Airbus C-295 military transport aircraft from Spain, completing the import phase of a significant defence modernization initiative. The handover took place on August 2 at Airbus’s facility in Seville, where Indian Ambassador Dinesh K. Patnaik and senior Indian Air Force officials accepted the aircraft, delivered two months ahead of schedule.

The C-295 is a tactical airlifter designed for missions including troop transport, cargo delivery, medical evacuation, and airdropping supplies. It has a payload capacity of 5-10 tonnes, can carry up to 71 troops or 50 paratroopers, and offers up to 11 hours of flight endurance. Powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127G turboprop engines, it achieves a maximum cruise speed of 260 knots and is capable of short takeoff and landing on unprepared runways, making it ideal for India’s diverse terrains.

This delivery fulfills part of a ₹21,935-crore contract signed in September 2021 between the Indian government and Airbus Defence & Space for 56 C-295MW aircraft to replace the Indian Air Force’s ageing Avro-748 fleet. The agreement stipulated that the first 16 aircraft be manufactured in Spain, with the initial unit arriving in India in September 2023. The remaining 40 aircraft will be produced by Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) at a new facility in Vadodara, Gujarat, marking India’s first private-sector final assembly line for military aircraft.

The Vadodara facility, inaugurated in October 2024, is expected to deliver its first C-295 by September 2026, with all 40 aircraft completed by August 2031. The program includes technology transfer from Airbus to TASL, supporting India’s “Make in India” initiative to enhance domestic defence manufacturing. The C-295 fleet will bolster India’s military logistics, particularly in remote and high-altitude regions, improving operational readiness.