India presents opportunities for low-cost manufacturing and high productivity: Modi | So Good News

the COVID-19 pandemic; India’s growth momentum has been maintained despite war and supply chain disruptions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday, showing opportunities for low-cost manufacturing and high output. 295 transport aircraft manufacturing facility to be built by a consortium of Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) and Airbus Defense and Space in Vadodara;

The event comes ahead of the announcement of the schedule for the conference in Gujarat.

“In the coming years, defense and space sectors will be two important pillars for India. aatmanirbhar (Self reliance). We have a goal of not exceeding $25 billion in defense production by 2025. And our defense exports will be over $5 billion,” Mr. Modi said.

In September 2021, the Ministry of Defense (MoD) announced the purchase of 56 C-295MW aircraft to Spain. Signed ₹ 21,935 crore contract with Airbus Defense and Space. It is the first project to manufacture military aircraft in India through technology transfer from the private sector.

The Prime Minister said the C-295 project is a big step in the direction of making India a global manufacturing hub. India is popular in many countries for fighter jets; tanks, submarines; Medicines vaccines; electronics; Mr. Modi said the country has now become a major producer of transport aircraft, observing that mobile phones and automobiles are being produced. “India is moving forward with the mantra of ‘Make in India, Make for the Globe’. Our policies today are stable, predictable and futuristic,” Mr Modi said.

In this regard, he highlighted the increasing demand for passenger and cargo aircraft. The Prime Minister said that India will need more than 2,000 aircraft in the next 15 years. “We are going to be among the top three countries in the world in terms of air traffic,” he added.

Speaking after the event, N. Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons, said, “With the construction of the Final Assembly Line (FAL) at Vadodara, the Tata Group will now be able to take aluminum products at one end of the value chain. Broadcast and convert into Airbus C295 aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF).”

16 of the 56 aircraft will arrive in flying condition between September 2023 and August 2025. The first of the 40 ‘Made in India’ aircraft is expected from September 2026 and will be completed by 2031 at a rate of 8 aircraft per year.

Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury said the teams are committed to supporting the IAF’s modernization with the C295 program. He said it would also help the development of the private defense manufacturing sector in the country.

The C-295 will replace the Avro transport aircraft that the IAF bought in the 1960s and is in urgent need of replacement. A Request For Proposal (RFP) was issued to global firms in May 2013 and the sole bid by Airbus and TASL for the C-295 aircraft was approved by the Defense Acquisition Council (DAC) in May 2015.

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The C295 is a five- to 10-ton capacity aircraft used for tactical transport of up to 71 passengers or 50 paratroopers, delivering logistics to areas currently inaccessible to heavier aircraft, and has proven capable of operating from short or unprepared airstrips. .

With 285 aircraft on order and 38 operators in 34 countries, the C295 has achieved more than 500,000 flight hours. India will become the 35th C295 operator worldwide.

At DefExpo in Gandhinagar last week, Airbus became the first foreign original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to receive quality management system approval from the Indian Directorate of Aviation Quality Assurance for the C-295 India aircraft programme.

Kajetan von Mentzingen, Director General of DGAQA Sanjay Chawla presented the certificate of approval at the side event of DefExpo 2022 held in Gandhinagar. quality It was handed over to the head of Airbus Defense and Space. This is a significant first step in the comprehensive quality assurance roadmap agreed between Airbus and DGAQA for the C295 ‘Make in India’ programme.

This certification is part of an industrial development program that involves the full development of a complete industrial ecosystem: from manufacturing of detailed components to assembly; From testing and qualification to delivery and maintenance of the complete life cycle of the aircraft, TASL officials said.

Defense public sector units such as Bharat Electronics Limited and Bharat Dynamics Limited will supply Electronic Warfare suites for 56 aircraft.

With a proven ability to operate from short or unequipped aircraft, the C295 is used for tactical transport of up to 71 troops or 50 paratroopers and logistics operations to areas currently inaccessible to heavier aircraft.

Aibus officials said earlier that this contract will bring investment and 15,000 skilled direct jobs and 10,000 indirect positions over the next 10 years, contributing to the development of India’s aerospace ecosystem.

The IAF has become the 35th C295 operator worldwide, taking the program to 278 aircraft, 200 of which are already operational, with over half a million flight hours booked.