The facility will involve the full development of a complete ecosystem from the manufacture to assembly, testing, and qualification, to delivery and maintenance of the complete lifecycle of the aircraft…reports Asian Lite News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with Spanish President Pedro Sanchez, inaugurated the Tata-Airbus C295 aircraft plant facility in Vadodara, Gujarat on Monday.
The Spanish President, who is on a three-day visit to India, arrived in Vadodara in the early hours of Monday. The plant has been set up by Tata Advanced Systems in collaboration with Airbus Spain. The facility is built at the TATA Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) campus. A total of 56 aircraft are there under the C-295 programme, of which 16 are being delivered directly by Airbus from Spain and the remaining 40 are to be made in India.
Tata Advanced Systems Ltd. is responsible for making these 40 aircraft in India. This facility will be the first private sector Final Assembly Line (FAL) for military aircraft in India. It will involve the full development of a complete ecosystem from the manufacture to assembly, testing, and qualification, to delivery and maintenance of the complete lifecycle of the aircraft.
Apart from Tatas, leading defence public sector units such as Bharat Electronics Ltd. and Bharat Dynamics Ltd, as well as private micro, small, and medium enterprises, will contribute to this programme. The C295 aircraft is a military aircraft, and its production will strengthen India’s aerospace industry and drive the country towards self-reliance.
In 2021, India signed a contract with Airbus to buy 56 C-295 transport aircraft, of which 16 were to be directly sent from Spain while 40 had to be manufactured in India at the Tata facility in Vadodara. The city of Vadodara is all decked up with beautiful lights to welcome the two leaders.
The residents of Vadodara expressed their happiness over the visit of PM Modi and Spain’s PM and hoped for good international relations with Spain. Later in the day, Modi will visit Laxmi Vilas Palace, Vadodara. From Vadodara, the Prime Minister will travel to Amreli, where he will inaugurate Bharat Mata Sarovar.
He will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of various development projects worth over Rs 4,800 crores. These projects will benefit the citizens of Amreli, Jamnagar, Morbi, Devbhoomi Dwarka, Junagadh, Porbandar, Kachchh, and Botad districts of the state. Prime Minister will also inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for various road projects worth more than Rs 2,800 crores.
Projects to be inaugurated include four-laning of various sections of NH 151, NH 151A, and NH 51 and the Junagadh bypass. The Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for various development projects worth over Rs 700 crore of the water supply department from Amreli district.
The foundation stone of Pasavi Group Augmentation Water Supply Scheme Phase 2 in Bhavnagar district will also be laid which will benefit 95 villages in the Mahuva, Talaja, and Palitana talukas, in Bhavnagar district.
Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for tourism-related development initiatives which includes transforming the Karli Recharge Reservoir at Mokarsagar in Porbandar district into a world-class sustainable eco-tourism destination, among others.
Meanwhile, President Sanchez will also visit Mumbai, where, apart from official engagements, he will interact with trade and industry leaders, think tanks, and the film industry.He will address the 4th Spain India Forum organised by the Spain-India Council Foundation and the Observer Research Foundation.
He will also visit prominent film studios where he will interact with leading celebrities in Indian movie industries, to foster greater collaboration between the Indian and Spanish media and entertainment industry.
In addition to the plant inauguration, PM Modi has a busy schedule in Gujarat. He is scheduled to visit Vadodara’s Laxmi Vilas Palace before travelling to Amreli, where he will inaugurate Bharat Mata Sarovar and various infrastructure projects valued at over Rs 4,800 crores. These projects aim to benefit Amreli and nearby districts like Jamnagar, Morbi, and Junagadh. The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for Rs 2,800 crore worth of road projects, including four-laning segments of NH 151, NH 151A, and NH 51, and inaugurate a new bypass in Junagadh. This project will create a comprehensive ecosystem for aircraft development, covering assembly, testing, certification, and maintenance throughout the lifecycle of the aircraft. Major Indian defence players like Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL). and Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL), along with smaller enterprises, are also contributing to this project.
The C-295 aircraft will strengthen India’s air force fleet with a modern, and more reliable transport solution.
Additionally, water supply improvements worth over Rs 700 crore will be launched, including the Pasavi Group Augmentation Water Supply Scheme Phase two in Bhavnagar district, benefiting 95 villages. Plans for eco-tourism development at Porbandar’s Karli Reservoir are also underway.
President Sanchez will later visit Mumbai to meet with industry leaders, participate in the Spain-India Forum, and explore Bollywood collaborations. He hopes to encourage stronger ties with Indian businesses and the entertainment industry. (ANI)
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