PM Modi lays foundation stone of transport aircraft manufacturing project at Vadodara

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said, India is moving towards becoming a global manufacturing hub with growing cost-effective manufacturing capabilities, global-standard comparative environment and ease of doing business. The Prime Minister after laying the foundation stone of C-295MW transport aircraft manufacturing project at Vadodara, Gujarat today said, this project will be a milestone in achieving goals of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

The Prime Minister said, with this Make in India Initiative the country will acquire capabilities to make transport aircraft and in future, will be able to make even passenger aircrafts in India. Mr Modi said this project will help in achieving the goal of defence products manufacturing worth 25 billion dollar and defence export worth five billion dollar.

Mr Modi said, the transport aircraft which will be manufactured at Vadodara will not only give power to the Army but also create a new ecosystem in the country. He said India possesses one of the fastest developing aviation sectors in the world. He said, India is soon to enter the list of the top three nations in terms of air traffic. Mr Modi added, in the coming 10 to 15 years, our country will require over 2000 passenger and cargo aircraft.

Mr Modi said a new saga of economic reforms is being written in India today. In the past eight years, the government is stressing on Ease of doing business to boost the manufacturing sector in the country. He said the new India is growing with a new mindset and work culture that encourages the partnership of the private sector in the development of the country. He urged the private industry to take the maximum benefit of the positive environment which is being created in the country for private partnership.

The Prime Minister said, the Indian manufacturing sector is growing rapidly in the world. Right from semiconductors to aircraft, everything is being manufactured in the country. The PM said India has attracted huge foreign investment from more than 160 countries in the last eight years which has benefitted more than 60 sectors of the economy.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also attended the function. He said it is a matter of pride for the country that an aircraft manufacturing facility is being laid by the private sector. He called the moment a milestone in the journey of self-reliance of the Indian Defence sector.

It will be India’s first transport aircraft manufacturing project worth around 22,000 crore rupees. C-295MW transport aircrafts will be manufactured in India by private companies, Airbus Defence and TATA consortium. India will be the 12th such country which have capabilities of transport aircraft manufacturing. This project will strengthen the logistic capabilities of the Indian Air Force. 40 aircrafts will be manufactured in the country. This state-of-the-art transport aircraft, with the capacity of 5 to 10 ton, will strengthen the Indian Air Force. The aircraft can also be used for civilian purposes. The new aircrafts will replace the ageing Avro aircrafts.

The C-295MW transport aircraft manufacturing project will strengthen the India Air Force and create an entire new ecosystem for the domestic aviation sector.

In September last year, the Cabinet Committee on Security had approved the procurement of 56 C-295MW transport aircraft from Airbus Defence and Space SA. 16 aircraft will be delivered in flyaway condition while 40 aircrafts will be manufactured in Vadodara by Airbus Defence and TATA consortium.

All these 56 transport aircraft will be fitted with indigenous Electronic Warfare Suite. The transport aircraft manufacturing facility will generate several skilled and indirect jobs. It is estimated that 600 highly skilled jobs and more than three thousand indirect jobs will be generated.

This ambitious project will enhance the country’s overall capabilities in transport aircraft manufacturing and give a boost to Make in India initiative.

Minister of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, CEO Tata Group Natarajan Chandrasekaran and Airbus CCO Christian Scherer were also present on the occasion.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said that today is a historic day for the country as Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of India’s first Transport Aircraft Manufacturing Facility in Vadodara. In a tweet, Mr Shah said, this will make India self-reliant in the manufacturing hub and defense sector. He said, this center will further strengthen the economy of Gujarat and create new jobs.