Tata, Airbus Open C295 Assembly Line in Gujarat

Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) and Airbus have inaugurated the Final Assembly Line (FAL) for the Airbus C295 aircraft in Vadodara. This initiative marks a significant development in India’s Aerospace and Defence sector, being part of the ‘Make in India’ project aimed at delivering 56 C295 aircraft to the Indian Air Force (IAF). The event was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Spanish President Pedro Sánchez, alongside N. Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons, and Michael Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space.

The establishment of the FAL is a key step for the Indian government’s ‘AatmaNirbhar Bharat’ initiative, representing the first time a private entity has set up an aircraft assembly line in India. This inauguration follows the IAF’s decision three years ago to procure 56 Airbus C295 aircraft to replace the ageing AVRO fleet. Under the contract, 40 units will be produced in collaboration with TASL at this facility, while 16 will be supplied in a fully assembled state from Airbus’ production line in Seville, Spain. To date, six aircraft have already been delivered.

N. Chandrasekaran stated, “The Tata Group is very proud in setting up this advanced facility which will manufacture the nation’s first private defence aircraft from the ground up. It will significantly enhance both defence and advance manufacturing capabilities.”

“I am thankful to Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Hon’ble Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón and the distinguished guests for joining us at this momentous occasion in India’s indigenous manufacturing journey.”

Michael Schoellhorn remarked, “The inauguration of this final assembly line is a significant milestone in India’s journey towards self-reliance in defence manufacturing. The C295 India programme demonstrates Airbus’ commitment to supporting India’s vision of ‘AatmaNirbhar Bharat’ in defence manufacturing.”

“Aligned to this vision, this FAL will propel the advancement of the aerospace industrial ecosystem in the country, unlocking the potential for cutting-edge design, component manufacturing, aircraft assembly, and services capabilities across the Indian value chain.”

The FAL will facilitate the manufacturing of detailed components, sub-assemblies, and major assemblies. Production of C295 components has already commenced at the Main Component Assembly (MCA) facility in Hyderabad. The initial parts for the first domestically produced C295 have been dispatched to the Vadodara FAL, where the assembly will take place before delivery to the IAF.

The first C295 under the ‘Make in India’ initiative is expected to be completed in September 2026, marking a pivotal moment for the Indian aerospace sector. The plan aims to ramp up to deliver 40 aircraft to the IAF by August 2031, as per the contract stipulations.

With the acquisition of 56 aircraft, India has emerged as the largest customer for the C295. The programme is set to achieve over 85% of structural assembly and final assembly for 40 aircraft in India, alongside the manufacture of 13,000 components, for which 21 special processes have been certified, involving 37 suppliers from both the private and public sectors.

Airbus views India as a crucial resource hub and is expanding its industrial presence with activities in aircraft assembly, component manufacturing, engineering design, maintenance, repair and operations (MRO), pilot and maintenance training, and academic partnerships. The company invests over $1 billion annually into a robust supply chain in India, creating more than 15,000 jobs. Furthermore, Airbus India’s engineering and digital centres in Bengaluru contribute significantly to all global commercial and helicopter programmes of Airbus.