• In what will be the first undertaking of its kind by a local private enterprise, India’s Tata group plans to start producing military aircraft there.
• The $2 billion (£1.7 billion) project will be situated in Gujarat, a state in western India.
• On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will open the manufacturing facility.

In what will be the first undertaking of its kind by a local private enterprise, India’s Tata group plans to start producing military aircraft there.

According to a government announcement made on Thursday, Tata and Airbus will produce C-295 cargo aircraft for the Indian Air Force.

The $2 billion (£1.7 billion) project will be situated in Gujarat, a state in western India.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will open the manufacturing facility.

India’s defense ministry declared in a statement that “this is the first initiative of its sort in which a military aircraft would be constructed in India by a private enterprise.” Currently, the only state-owned company that produces aircraft for the armed forces is Hindustan Aeronautics.

India is one of the biggest importers of defense goods in the world and has historically relied heavily on nations like Russia for its military hardware.

But over time, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led administration has worked to lessen India’s reliance on imports and increase domestic output.

The Tata-Airbus project is viewed by experts as a step toward supporting Mr. Modi’s Make in India campaign, an ambitious high-octane initiative that promises to transform the nation into a hub for global manufacturing.

The purchase provided a “unique opportunity for the Indian private sector to enter the technologically advanced and fiercely competitive aircraft market,” according to the defense ministry.

The government granted approval for the project’s purchase of 56 C-295 military transport planes from Airbus Defense and Space SA of Spain in September 2021.

According to a news release, these planes can also be utilized for civilian purposes and will replace the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) aging Avro fleet.

Between September 2023 and August 2025, Airbus will deliver 16 aircraft in flyaway condition; the Tata Company will construct the remaining aircraft at its facilities in Gujarat.

The defense ministry stated that “the first Made in India aircraft is expected from September 2026.”

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