It has been a significant day for the "Make in India" initiative in the aviation sector as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with Spanish President Pedro Sanchez, inaugurated the TATA Aircraft Complex in Vadodara, Gujarat, on Monday. The leaders unveiled the Final Assembly Line (FAL) Plant for the C295 military aircraft developed by Tata Advanced Systems in partnership with Airbus Spain.
Part of the C295 programme includes a total of 56 aircraft, which will be built, with 16 of them being delivered straight from Airbus in Spain. The remaining 40 aircraft are to be built in the Tata Aircraft Complex inside the Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) campus in Vadodara. It is the first FAL for military aircraft by private sector in India.
PM Modi and President Sanchez also attended a 2.5 km roadshow from the airport to the Tata facility before the swearing-in ceremony, greeting the public and watching the cultural performances that passed by during the way.
At the event, PM Modi underlined rapid development in India by saying, "This is my friend Pedro Sanchez's first visit to India. Today, we are moving in a new direction to the India-Spain partnership with the production factory of the C295 aircraft. This facility will enhance India-Spain relations and the 'Make in India, Make for the World' mission."
Commenting on the loss recently suffered, he reflected, "We recently lost a great son of the nation, Ratan Tata. If he were sitting here today, he would have been extremely proud."
He also did a rewind to recall his days as Chief Minister of Gujarat, during which he had overseen the establishment of a train coach factory at Vadodara. "Today, we export metro coaches manufactured in that very factory to other countries. I am sure the same will happen with this aerospace facility too," said he.
Addressing the wider goals, he averred, "We would want India to serve as a hub in relation to aviation and space, to devise a mode for civil aerospace products that can truly go under the label of 'Made in India.'" His attention was to this extreme government strides over ten years of defense manufacturing from both the sides-private sectors in greater participation, also establishing the structure of the ordnance factories coupled up with setting defense corridors each within Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh, abbreviated as NS: TNNP.
PM Modi also offered respect to Spanish missionary Father Carlos G. Valles who had enriched Gujarat culture by saying, "Father Valles enriched our culture and we honored him with the Padma Shri award."
Leaders also announced that next year 2026 will be the India-Spain Year of Culture, Tourism, AI, as PM Modi has remarked, "Our partnership is vibrant, like a prism, continuously evolving."
President Sanchez praised the industrial vision of PM Modi, saying, "Prime Minister Modi, your vision of India as an industrial powerhouse and investment magnet is inspiring. This partnership between Airbus and TATA will bolster India's aerospace industry and pave the way for more European companies."
"This project not only strengthens our industrial ties but also demonstrates Spain's commitment as a strategic and reliable partner, highlighting the capabilities and reputation of the Spanish defence industry. Spain, like India, has a very ambitious roadmap to modernise its economy," he added.
President Sanchez of Spain arrived in Ahmedabad today on a three-day visit, which marks the first visit of a Spanish leader to Gujarat in the last 18 years. He will also visit Mumbai. During the visit, he will hold the fourth Spain-India Forum of the Spain-India Council Foundation and Observer Research Foundation with industry leaders and think tank heads. President Sanchez has also promised interactions with prominent filmmakers from the state to foster Indo-Spanish media co-operation.
