PM Modi to lay foundation for C-295 manufacturing plant in Vadodara today
As Gujarat Assembly Election nears, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will begin another leg of his visit on October 30. During his three-day stay in his home state, the prime minister will participate in the BJP's Diwali meta-event, visit the Statue of Unity, and lay the foundation for a number of construction projects.
FollowPrime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of a manufacturing facility for C-295 transport aircraft in Vadodara in Gujarat on Sunday. Tata-Airbus will produce the C-295 cargo plane for the Indian Air Force, according to officials from the Defense Ministry.
Defense Secretary Aramane Giridhar stated that in addition to producing 40 aircraft, this plant in Vadodara will also produce more aircraft for the Air Force's needs and exports. In Vadodara, he will also speak to a crowd at the Leprosy Ground.
Prime Minister Modi will visit Gujarat for three days and inaugurate a number of projects around the state, where the Assembly elections are anticipated to be called soon.
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The C-295 transport aircraft will be made in Vadodara by a partnership between European defence giant Airbus and the Tata group. The Defence ministry announced the Rs 22,000 crore project on Thursday, marking the first time a military aircraft will be constructed in India by a private enterprise.
The facility will accommodate both the export of the aircraft and future IAF orders. According to Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar, the aircraft may also be employed for civilian reasons.
India finalised a contract with Airbus Defence and Space in September of last year to purchase 56 C-295 aircraft to replace the IAF's outdated Avro-748 aircraft.
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In accordance with the contract, Airbus will deliver the first 16 aircraft in "fly-away" condition from its final assembly line in Seville, Spain, within four years. Tata Advanced Systems (TASL), an industrial partner of the two corporations, will build and assemble the other 40 aircraft.
The defence officials added that the aircraft built in India would be supplied from 2026 to 2031 and the first 16 aircraft will come between 2023 to 2025. The Indian Air Force will ultimately become the largest user of this C-295 cargo aircraft, IAF Vice Chief Air Marshal Sandeep Singh said.
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