In a significant step toward strengthening India’s defence capabilities, the Indian Ambassador to Spain, Dinesh K Patnaik, officially received the final Airbus C-295 military transport aircraft on Saturday at the Airbus Defence and Space facility in Seville. The delivery was made two months ahead of schedule and was attended by senior Indian Air Force officials.

This marks the completion of the first phase of a 56-aircraft deal, under which the initial 16 C-295 aircraft were to be delivered from Spain, while the remaining 40 will be manufactured in India by Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL).

The Embassy of India in Madrid posted on X: “The delivery, two months ahead of schedule, marks an important milestone in strengthening India’s defense capabilities.”

In October 2024, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez jointly inaugurated the Tata Aircraft Complex in Vadodara, Gujarat, which houses the final assembly line (FAL) for the C-295 aircraft. It is the first private sector military aircraft manufacturing facility in India.

The initiative is a key part of India’s ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ vision and aligns with the government’s broader push for self-reliance in defence production under the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ mission.

The C-295 programme is expected to significantly boost India’s military transport capabilities while also reducing reliance on foreign defence imports. With domestic manufacturing of 40 aircraft set to follow, the move represents a paradigm shift toward indigenous defence production and national resilience.