India appears close to rolling out its first domestically assembled Airbus C-295 military transport aircraft from the Tata-Airbus production facility in Vadodara, Gujarat. Videos circulating online have shown a nearly completed aircraft on the final assembly line, suggesting the rollout could occur ahead of the previously anticipated September 2026 timeline. The milestone is part of India’s $2.5-billion agreement with Airbus for 56 C-295 aircraft intended to replace the Indian Air Force’s aging Avro transport fleet. Airbus has already supplied 16 aircraft from Spain, while the remaining 40 are being assembled in India in collaboration with Tata Advanced Systems. The achievement marks the first time a private Indian company has domestically manufactured a military aircraft, representing a major step for the country’s aerospace industry and the “Make in India” initiative.
