IAF Celebrates First Flight of India’s First Made C-295 — What We Know About Tata Military Aircraft | Today’s news

The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Wednesday announced that it has celebrated the maiden test flight of the first Indian-made C-295 military transport aircraft. The IAF is set to procure a total of 56 C-295 transport aircraft at a cost of around ₹21,935 crore, PTI reported.

Marking the momentous occasion, the IAF in a post on X said, “Indian Air Force congratulates the entire team for the successful maiden flight of the first Indian-made C-295.” Celebrating the successful test flight, the IAF hailed India’s growing aviation capabilities under the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

“This achievement reinforces India’s growing air capability and underscores the Indian Air Force’s commitment to supporting indigenous defense capabilities under the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat,” the IAF added. Up to forty of these C-295 aircraft are being built at the Vadodara manufacturing facility, which is being assembled by Tata Advanced Systems Limited in partnership with Airbus.

This event is a historic milestone as it marks a great leap forward for the C295 program and the government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative. Notably, the C295 is the first “Made in India” military transport aircraft produced at Vadodara’s Final Assembly Line (FAL) under a partnership between Airbus and Tata Advanced Systems Limited for the Indian Air Force. Several Indian MSMEs are also involved in the manufacturing process as aircraft parts are transported to the Vadodara plant from across the country.

In a social media post on X, Airbus Defense said: “The first ‘Made in India’ Airbus C295 military transport aircraft has taken its maiden test flight from the final assembly line in Vadodara, marking a milestone for Indian aerospace and defence. This maiden test flight is a crucial step in the aircraft’s post-production testing process.”

Airbus Defense further noted that this is the first of 40 aircraft manufactured in India. The statement added: “The test flight advances the program’s goal of delivering the first ‘Made in India’ C295 aircraft to the Indian Air Force this year. A game-changer in the Government of India’s ‘Make in India’ vision, the C295 India program is India’s first example of a private aircraft being manufactured in India.

Manufactured by Airbus Defense and Space, the C295 is a versatile and reliable tactical transport aircraft that has become a cornerstone of military operations around the world. From providing tactical support, cargo support, surveillance and humanitarian assistance to performing other missions, the C295 is designed to meet the diverse needs of modern militaries.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Vadodara factory from where the aircraft was conducting a test flight in October 2024 along with his Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez.