Airbus and the Indian Air Force closed an agreement to purchase 56 C295 military transport aircraft after lengthy negotiations. The deal, whose figures were not revealed, had been approved by Indian authorities weeks ago.
The European manufacturer will supply the planes in partnership with Tata Advanced Systems (TASL), a private group that will be responsible for assembling 40 C295s in India.
This is the first time that a private company has produced aircraft on Indian soil. So far, only state-owned manufacturers like Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) have built planes in the country.
The first 16 C295s will be assembled by Airbus in Spain and delivered by 2025. They will feature an electronic warfare avionics suite developed in India.
The aircraft will be able to carry 70 passengers or 50 paratroopers, in addition to performing various missions such as medical support and evacuation.
“This contract will support the further development of India’s aerospace ecosystem, bringing investment and 15,000 skilled direct jobs and 10,000 indirect positions over the coming 10 years,” said Michael Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defense and Space.
The C295 will replace the HAL-748, a licensed version of the famous Avro (HS) 748, produced in the UK.
