India and Spain jointly inaugurated the Tata Aircraft Complex in Vadodara, Gujarat, today, marking the start of C-295 military aircraft assembly in India. The facility, operated by Tata Advanced Systems Ltd. (TASL), will assemble 40 C-295 aircraft as part of a 56-aircraft order for the Indian Air Force, with the remaining 16 units being manufactured by Airbus in Spain.
The new facility is India’s first private-sector final assembly line for military aircraft, covering all aspects from component manufacturing and assembly to testing and maintenance. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who attended the event with Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, noted that the project reflects recent defense sector reforms aimed at bolstering private sector involvement and reducing import dependency.
The assembly complex is expected to generate thousands of jobs and support over 18,000 component suppliers, largely comprising Indian MSMEs. Key Indian defense public sector units, such as Bharat Electronics Ltd. and Bharat Dynamics Ltd., are also involved in the project, reinforcing collaboration between public and private entities within the defense manufacturing sector.
According to government data, India’s defense exports have increased significantly over the past decade, with equipment now being shipped to over 100 countries. The Tata facility will support this trend while contributing to India’s growing role in global aerospace production and Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) services.