IAF, Navy & Coast Guard to Get 15 Airbus C-295 Aircraft by 2025
India's tactical airlift capacity is all set to get a huge fillip with the induction of 15 C-295MW aircraft by 2025. Nine of these will be inducted into the Indian Navy and six into the Indian Coast Guard, adding more muscle to maritime and coastal operations. The new induction will beef up the Indian Air Force fleet, which started getting the C-295 in 2023.
Defence sources confirm that bids for the naval version of the C-295 need to be submitted by December 2025. This procurement is after the Defence Acquisition Council's (DAC) Acceptance of Necessity and a Request for Proposal (RFP) floated in March 2025.
India's First Private Military Aircraft Manufacturing Facility
The C-295MW aircraft are being manufactured in Vadodara, Gujarat, through a trailblazing joint venture between Airbus and Tata Advanced Systems. The plant was opened in 2023 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the presence of the President of Spain, representing a milestone moment as India's first private-sector military aircraft assembly line. While 16 aircraft are being manufactured in Spain, the remaining 40 will emerge from the Indian factory.
IAF's Expanding Fleet and Future Directions
As per a 2021 deal for 56 C-295 planes, the IAF has already taken delivery of 15 aircraft. The first squadron of C-295 has been commissioned at Vadodara, and the first Made-in-India plane is due in August 2026.
Features of the C-295
The C-295 is an all-weather tactical transport aircraft that can:
- Carry 5 to 10 tonnes of freight
- Carry 70 troops or 50 fully-equipped paratroopers
- Conduct medical evacuations on 24 stretchers
- Operate from short and unpaved airstrips
- Have a top speed of 480 km/h and an endurance of up to 11 hours
With its paradropping and high-altitude capabilities, the C-295 is particularly ideal for operations along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.
Phasing Out the Old Fleet
The induction of the C-295 is the first step towards the retirement of the Avro fleet, followed by the phased withdrawal of the AN-32 and IL-76. The AN-32 will start its retirement after 2032. Apart from that, the IAF has floated a Request for Information (RFI) for a new medium transport aircraft that will eventually take the place of the AN-32 in future operations.
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