Tata, Airbus conduct first test flight of maiden 'Made in India' C295 military transport aircraft

Tata Advanced Systems Limited and Airbus completed the first test flight of maiden 'Made in India' Airbus C295 military transport aircraft from the Final Assembly Line in Vadodara. The model marked the first of 40 aircraft to be built in India, advancing the defence programme's objective of delivering the first such aircraft to the Indian Air Force this year.

Marking a milestone for Indian aviation and defence, the test flight was a crucial step in the aircraft's post production testing process.

Calling it a "game changer", Airbus' Defence division announced that the C295 India programme is the first instance of a military aircraft being manufactured in India by the private sector.



"The programme's progress reflects the steady and dedicated work of Airbus, Tata Advanced Systems Limited and the several Indian MSMEs, which are manufacturing parts for the aircraft across India," it said in a post on X. "We are building the future of Indian aerospace."

Airbus expressed gratitude towards Indian Air Force, Ministry of Defence and Government of India for unwavering trust.

C295 military aircraft passes first test flight; watch video

Indian Air Force Deputy Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Awadhesh Kumar Bharti visited the Vadodara facility to assess progress on the first India-made C-295 aircraft.

The military aircraft will replace the Indian Air Force’s ageing Avro-748 fleet. It is a medium tactical transport aircraft designed for troop movement, cargo carriage, medical evacuation, and special operations.

TASL, Airbus sign ‘Make in India’ project to deliver 56 C295 aircraft to IAF

In October 2024, Tata and Airbus inaugurated the Final Assembly Line (FAL) complex for the Airbus C295 aircraft in Vadodara, Gujarat in India. The collaborative project marks the first instance of the private sector setting up an aircraft facility in India.

The C295 programme will produce more than 85% structural and final assembly of 40 aircraft along with the manufacturing of 13,000 detail parts in India, for which the two partners certified 21 special processes and onboarded 37 India-based suppliers, both from the private and public sectors.