Vadodara, Oct 28 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi has praised the Tata-Airbus C-295 aircraft manufacturing facility in Vadodara as a symbol of “the new work culture of New India”, commending the swift and efficient execution of the project from its groundbreaking just two years ago to its inauguration this month.
Reflecting on his vision for timely execution, PM Modi noted, “My focus has always been on preventing delays in planning and execution.”
PM Modi joined by Spanish President Pedro Sanchez, inaugurated the manufacturing facility in Vadodara on Monday.
This event marks a significant milestone for the defence sector as the plant will produce the country’s first private-sector military transport aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF), enhancing India's global position in defence manufacturing.
Greeting the audience in Spanish with a warm “Buenos días”, PM Modi highlighted the importance of President Sanchez’s presence, stating, “This is my friend Pedro Sanchez’s first visit to India. Today, he is helping steer the India-Spain partnership in a new direction.” He described the new C-295 facility as a major step in strengthening the bilateral ties between India and Spain, as well as in advancing the mission of 'Make in India, Make for the World'.
During his address, PM Modi extended heartfelt congratulations to the teams from Airbus and Tata, adding a note of nostalgia. “Just a short time ago, we lost Ratan Tata. If he were here today, he would undoubtedly be immensely pleased. His spirit, wherever it is, must be experiencing joy today,” he remarked.
PM Modi praised the factory as a symbol of “the new work culture of New India”, commending the swift and efficient execution of the project from its groundbreaking just two years ago to its inauguration this month. Reflecting on his vision for timely execution, PM Modi noted, “My focus has always been on preventing delays in planning and execution.”
He also recalled his tenure as Gujarat's Chief Minister, sharing how he championed manufacturing in Vadodara by establishing a train coach production facility. “Those coaches are now being exported to other countries,” PM Modi said, emphasizing Vadodara’s growth as a production and export hub.
The Tata-Airbus plant is poised to deliver the first C-295 aircraft by September 2026, with 39 additional units by August 2031. This marks a substantial advancement in India's defence self-sufficiency, as the IAF will become the world’s largest operator of the C-295, boosting its airlift capabilities. PM Modi further envisioned the future impact of the plant, stating, “In the future, aircraft built here will be exported to other countries”.
Quoting Spanish poet Antonio Machado, PM Modi said, “When we take the first step towards a goal, the path unfolds by itself.”
He used this metaphor to highlight India’s transformation in defence manufacturing, reflecting on critical decisions made a decade ago to build a sustainable defence industry. “Ten years ago, it was unimaginable that India could achieve such substantial defence manufacturing,” he said. “At that time, the focus was on imports. We chose new paths, and the results are here.”
The new facility is expected to play a vital role in creating a thriving defence manufacturing ecosystem in India. With over 18,000 aircraft parts to be produced across the country by MSMEs, PM Modi emphasized the economic benefits and job creation potential, “This factory alone will generate thousands of jobs and produce 18,000 aircraft parts, which will be manufactured across the country by MSMEs.”
PM Modi celebrated India’s recent successes in defence, noting that in the last five years alone, 1,000 new defence startups have emerged, with exports surging thirty-fold. “Today, we are supplying defence equipment to over 100 countries,” he said, reaffirming the government’s focus on skill development and employment generation.
Highlighting his administration’s role in revitalizing the defence sector, PM Modi pointed out key policies, such as transforming ordnance factories into seven distinct companies and developing defence corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. “These decisions have injected new energy into the defence sector,” he said.
PM Modi also underscored India’s growing aviation connectivity, adding, “We are extending air connectivity to hundreds of small towns across the country. We are already working to establish India as an aviation hub.”
The first C-295 aircraft is expected to roll out of the Tata-Airbus factory in Vadodara by September 2026, with the remaining 39 aircraft scheduled for delivery by August 2031.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the C-295 aircraft factory in Vadodara in October 2022. Once fully operational, the facility will make the Indian Air Force (IAF) the world’s largest operator of the C-295.