Defence Ministry formalises acquisition of 56 Airbus C295 aircraft

Nearly Rs 20,000 crore contract was inked with Airbus Defence and Space of Spain and will replace Avro-748 planes of the Indian Air Force.

File Photo: Twitter/@AirbusDefence

New Delhi: The Defence Ministry on Friday inked a nearly Rs 20,000 crore contract with Airbus Defence and Space of Spain to procure 56 C-295 medium transport aircraft which will replace Avro-748 planes of the Indian Air Force.

The long-pending procurement was cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Security two weeks back.

"Contract signed between #MinistryOfDefence and @AirbusDefence &Space, Spain for procurement of 56 C-295 transport aircraft for the #IAF," Defence Ministry Spokesperson A Bharat Bhushan Babu tweeted.

Contract signed between #MinistryOfDefence and @AirbusDefence &Space, Spain for procurement of 56 C-295 transport aircraft for the #IAF@rajnathsingh @adgpi @PIB_India @PIBHindi @indiannavy @IAF_MCC @drajaykumar_ias @AjaybhattBJP4UK @IndiainSpain pic.twitter.com/YqgvAYKWHA — A. Bharat Bhushan Babu (@SpokespersonMoD) September 24, 2021

Under the deal, 16 aircraft will be delivered in a flyaway condition by Airbus Defence and Space within 48 months of signing the contract.

The remaining 40 planes will be manufactured in India by a consortium of the Airbus Defence and Space and Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) within 10 years of signing the contract, officials said.

Congratulations to Airbus Defence, Tata Advanced Systems Limited and the Indian Defence Ministry @tataadvanced @indiandefence @AirbusDefence @TataCompanies pic.twitter.com/3pNvA4slMR — Ratan N. Tata (@RNTata2000) September 24, 2021

The C-295 MW aircraft is a transport plane of 5-10 tonne capacity.

This is the first project of its kind in which a military aircraft will be manufactured in India by a private company.

"All 56 aircraft will be installed with indigenous electronic warfare suite," the ministry had said on September 8 after the procurement was cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Security.

The in-principle approval for the Avro replacement programme was accorded around nine years back.

India acquires 56 Airbus #C295 aircraft.
 Programme to kick-start first-ever private aircraft manufacturing in India;
 Will contribute significantly to developing the country’s military industry.@tataadvanced #MakeInIndia pic.twitter.com/QknAUDMGYR — Airbus Defence (@AirbusDefence) September 24, 2021

A large number of detail parts, sub-assemblies and major component assemblies of aerostructure are scheduled to be manufactured in India.

The ministry had said that before completion of the deliveries, a servicing facility for C-295 MW aircraft is scheduled to be set up in India.