India achieved a historic milestone on June 10, 2026, when the first 'Made-in-India' C-295 aircraft successfully completed its maiden test flight at the TASL facility in Vadodara. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu visited the facility to witness this landmark achievement, describing it as a testament to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat. The minister expressed his sentiment that 'Seeing India build aircraft like these at home is truly special', highlighting the significance of this achievement for India's aerospace and defence manufacturing sectors.
Under the 2021 $2.6 billion deal, 40 of the 56 aircraft will be assembled in Vadodara, with Gujarat's upcoming Dholera Airport housing dedicated MRO facilities to support the fleet. The journey began with the delivery of 16 aircraft in 'fly-away' condition directly from Airbus's facilities in Seville, Spain, but the true test lay in the remaining 40 units destined for Indian assembly. The first India-assembled C-295 rolled out of the final assembly line in May 2026 and successfully completed its maiden test flight on June 10, 2026, effectively certifying the Vadodara facility's technical readiness and serving as a catalyst for India's self-reliance in defence manufacturing.
Minister Naidu emphasized that this achievement represents a fundamental shift in India's industrial strategy, moving from a buyer of foreign platforms to a partner in domestic production. He stated that 'This mastery of aerospace assembly is a vital precursor to the long-term goal of seeing ' the strategic importance of this milestone for India's defence manufacturing capabilities and the broader aerospace ecosystem.
The C-295 programme is developed jointly by Airbus Defence and Space and Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), marking a significant milestone in India's defence manufacturing capabilities. This strategic partnership has moved at a rapid pace following the 2021 contract worth approximately ₹21,935 crore ($2.6 billion), which set out to replace the Indian Air Force's aging fleet of Avro-748 aircraft with 56 modern, versatile tactical transports. The programme is expected to provide substantial benefits to India's aerospace ecosystem through enhanced manufacturing capabilities and technological advancement in the defence sector.
