India has received the final batch of 16 C-295 military transport aircraft from Airbus, marking the completion of a major modernization project for its airlift fleet.
The aircraft were formally handed over in Seville, Spain, during a ceremony attended by Indian Air Force officials and the Indian Ambassador.
Delivered two months ahead of schedule, the handover represents a significant step forward in enhancing India’s military preparedness, according to the ambassador.
The original 2021 contract involved the purchase of 56 C-295s to replace the Indian Air Force’s outdated Avro HS 748 aircraft, which date back to the 1960s.
Under the agreement, 16 aircraft were to be delivered from Spain, while the remaining 40 will be built in India to support domestic defense manufacturing.
In October 2024, Airbus and Tata Advanced Systems inaugurated a final assembly line in Vadodara, Gujarat, to produce the remaining aircraft locally.
