India receives final Airbus C-295 aircraft from Spain, marking milestone in defence modernisation
Madrid, August 4. In a significant step forward for India’s defence modernisation drive, the final unit of 16 Airbus C-295 military transport aircraft was formally handed over to India at the Airbus Defence and Space assembly facility in Seville, Spain. The aircraft was received by Indian Ambassador to Spain, Dinesh K Patnaik, alongside senior Indian Air Force officials, with the delivery taking place two months ahead of schedule.
“This delivery, completed ahead of time, marks an important milestone in strengthening India’s defence capabilities,” the Indian Embassy in Madrid said in a post on X.
The handover is part of a broader programme under which India is set to receive 56 C-295 aircraft. While the first 16 are being delivered directly from Airbus in Spain, the remaining 40 will be manufactured domestically in India, signalling a major push toward self-reliance in defence production.
The domestic production of the aircraft is being carried out at the TATA Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) campus in Vadodara, Gujarat. The Final Assembly Line (FAL), inaugurated jointly by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in October 2024, represents the first private-sector military aircraft assembly facility in India.
During the inauguration, Prime Minister Modi had highlighted the facility as a symbol of growing Indo-Spanish defence cooperation and a boost to India’s ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ initiative.
This programme reflects a paradigm shift in India’s defence strategy – from a long-standing dependence on foreign arms imports to building robust indigenous manufacturing capabilities. It aligns with the government’s vision of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India), seeking to enhance operational readiness while reducing external dependency for critical defence platforms.
The C-295 project is expected not only to improve the logistical capabilities of the Indian Air Force but also to stimulate the domestic aerospace ecosystem, creating jobs, fostering innovation, and positioning India as an emerging hub for military aviation manufacturing.
