India's first 'Made-in-India' Airbus C295 military transport aircraft successfully completed its maiden test flight from the Final Assembly Line in Vadodara on Wednesday. The aircraft is the first of 40 C295 transport planes to be built in India under a partnership between Airbus and Tata Advanced Systems Limited for the Indian Air Force.
This milestone marks a significant achievement in the country's aerospace and defence manufacturing programme. Airbus Defence expressed gratitude through a post on X, stating: "We thank the Indian Air Force, Ministry of Defence and Government of India, for their unwavering trust in us. We are building the future of Indian aerospace."
The aircraft is being produced in Gujarat through the collaboration between Airbus and Tata Advanced Systems Limited. It represents the first of 40 C295 aircraft that will be manufactured in India for the Indian Air Force. Airbus Defence elaborated on the significance: "This maiden test flight is a crucial step in the aircraft's post-production testing process. As the first of 40 aircraft to be built in India, the test-flight advances the programme's objective of delivering the first 'Made-in-India' C295 aircraft this year to the Indian Air Force. A game-changer in the government of India's 'Make in India' vision, the C295 India programme is the first instance of a military aircraft being manufactured in India by the private sector."
The company highlighted that the programme's progress reflects the work of Airbus, TASL, and Indian MSMEs involved in manufacturing aircraft components across the country. The C-295 is expected to replace the An-32 transport aircraft. It can carry up to 9,000 kg of payload, accommodate 24 stretchers, and transport a number of paratroopers comparable to that of the An-32.
This achievement underscores India's growing capabilities in indigenous defence manufacturing and strengthens the nation's self-reliance in aerospace technology.
