Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez jointly inaugurated an aircraft manufacturing facility in Gujarat’s Vadodara on Monday, which will partner with Spain’s Airbus to develop fighter jets.
Addressing the event, PM Modi stated that the aircraft manufacturing facility would boost defence capabilities and strengthen ties between India and Spain.
“From today, we are giving a new direction to India and Spain’s partnership. We are inaugurating the production factory of C-295 aircraft. This factory will strengthen India-Spain relations,” he said.
The Tata aircraft complex, set to manufacture 40 C-295 aircraft from 2026, will be India’s first private facility to produce military aircraft.
“It will also strengthen our ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ mission. This ecosystem will help make the first civil aircraft in the country,” he added.
Sanchez said the facility will not only assist in modernising India’s defence capabilities but also spur technological advancement.
“This aircraft is a symbol of the Spanish and European aeronautical industry. In addition to contributing to modernising India’s defence capabilities, it will also drive technological development, particularly for the state of Gujarat, India’s leading manufacturing hub. Thousands of direct and indirect jobs will be created here and a new generation of highly qualified engineers and technicians will be trained,” he remarked.
A total of 56 aircraft will be developed under the Tata-Airbus C-295 programme. Of these, 16 are to be delivered directly by Airbus from Spain, while the remaining 40 will be manufactured in India.
The Tata Aircraft Complex is tasked with producing these 40 aircraft domestically, marking India’s first private sector Final Assembly Line (FAL) for military aircraft. The initial aircraft from the Tata facility is expected to be completed in 2026.
According to officials, the aircraft programme encompasses the creation of a comprehensive ecosystem—from manufacturing and assembly to testing, qualification, delivery, and life cycle maintenance.
In addition to the Tata Group, key public sector defence units such as Bharat Electronics and Bharat Dynamics along with private micro, small, and medium enterprises, will support this programme.
PM Modi laid the foundation stone for the Vadodara final assembly line in October 2022.
Massive Roadshow Before Inauguration
The two leaders also held a roadshow in the city earlier today, travelling in an open Jeep and greeting people gathered along both sides of the route from the airport to the Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) campus.
Sanchez arrived in Vadodara at around 1:30 am. He is scheduled to travel to Mumbai on Tuesday before returning to Spain.
The leaders will also visit the historic Laxmi Vilas Palace, where they will hold a bilateral meeting organised by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
They will have lunch at the palace before proceeding to their next destinations, according to officials.
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