India Builds Its First Military Transport Aircraft

When a C295 military transport aircraft lifted off from Vadodara, Gujarat on June 10, it looked like any other plane. But this one carried something different: proof that India can build its own military hardware.

The aircraft was assembled by Tata Advanced Systems Limited in partnership with Airbus Defence and Space. It's the first time a private Indian company has built a complete military aircraft, a job historically done only by state-owned companies.

The plane completed its maiden test flight successfully and is expected to join the Indian Air Force later this year. It's part of a larger deal signed in 2021 for 56 C295 aircraft worth about $2.6 billion.

Here's how the program works: Airbus delivered 16 planes directly from Spain, while 40 are being built in India. The first Indian-assembled aircraft arrived months ahead of the original September 2026 deadline.

Tata began making major parts like the fuselage and tail in Hyderabad back in 2023. Critical components like engines and avionics still come from the United States, but that's changing with each new aircraft.

By the 32nd aircraft, about 98% of the labor will be done in India. Indian public sector companies are already contributing, with Bharat Electronics developing radar systems and Bharat Dynamics making countermeasure systems.

The aircraft itself replaces India's aging Avro-748 fleet, which has been in service for over 60 years. But the bigger story is what this program builds beyond planes.

The Ripple Effect

The C295 program is creating more than 15,000 jobs across India's aerospace sector. Small and medium-sized Indian suppliers are learning to meet strict global aerospace standards, skills they can use to enter other international supply chains.

Each component built in India adds a layer of expertise that didn't exist before. The final assembly line in Vadodara will produce about 12 aircraft per year through 2031, training engineers and technicians along the way.

India's defense manufacturing output hit a record $17 billion in 2024-25. The C295 sits at the heart of that growth, showing that decades of import dependence can shift toward homegrown capability.

From fuselage to tail, major sections of each C295 are now built in India before final assembly. As more planes roll off the line, more knowledge stays in the country.

This first flight from Vadodara isn't just about one aircraft taking off—it's about an entire industry taking shape.