Tata Advanced Systems and Airbus have opened a new Final Assembly Line (FAL) complex for the Airbus C295 aircraft in Vadodara in the Indian state of Gujarat.
This represents the first case of a private entity establishing an aircraft final assembly line in the country and marks a milestone in the 'Make in India' initiative.
The facility was launched by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Spanish President Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón.
Airbus Defence and Space CEO Michael Schoellhorn said: “The inauguration of this final assembly line (FAL) is a significant milestone in India’s journey towards self-reliance in defence manufacturing. The C295 India programme demonstrates Airbus’ commitment to supporting India’s vision of ‘AatmaNirbhar Bharat’ in defence manufacturing.
“Aligned to this vision, this FAL will propel the advancement of the aerospace industrial ecosystem in the country, unlocking the potential for cutting-edge design, component manufacturing, aircraft assembly and services capabilities across the Indian value chain,”
This inauguration comes three years after the Indian Air Force (IAF) formalised the acquisition of 56 Airbus C295 aircraft to replace its AVRO fleet.
Under the contract, 40 aircraft will be manufactured and assembled at this FAL in partnership with Tata Advanced Systems.
The remaining 16 aircraft are to be delivered in 'fly-away' condition from Airbus's assembly line in Seville, Spain.
Last year, Airbus officially handed over in fly-away condition the first of 56 C295 aircraft to IAF.
To date, six aircraft have been delivered to the IAF.
The Vadodara FAL will handle a range of production activities, including the manufacturing of detail parts, sub-assemblies, and major component assemblies.
Production has already commenced at the Main Component Assembly facility in Hyderabad, with parts for the first India-made C295 being shipped to Vadodara.
The first 'Make in India' C295 is expected to roll out in September 2026, with a plan to deliver all 40 aircraft by August 2031.
This programme is set to produce more than 85% of the structural and final assembly of the 40 aircraft domestically.
The initiative has certified 21 special processes and onboarded 37 suppliers from both private and public sectors in India.
