Gujarat, India, buzzed with excitement as Prime Ministers Narendra Modi of India and Pedro Sanchez of Spain arrived to inaugurate the state-of-the-art Tata Aircraft Complex, a groundbreaking venture set to transform India’s aerospace industry. This facility will collaborate with Airbus Spain to produce the Airbus C-295 cargo aircraft for the Indian Air Force, marking a significant leap forward in defense manufacturing. "This project embodies Modi's vision to transform India into an industrial powerhouse and a hub for investment and business-to-business collaboration," Sanchez declared, amidst the enthusiastic cheers of the crowd. The atmosphere was electric, filled with the promise of innovation and partnership as the nations embarked on this ambitious journey together.
 

"This collaboration between Airbus and Tata will help the Indian aerospace sector grow and will create opportunities for other European businesses to enter the market," he continued. Modi declared, "This new aircraft factory will boost new skills and new industries in India." He also mentioned that India was now selling parts to the top aviation firms in the world. 

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Natarajan Chandrasekaran, chairman of the Tata Group, referred to it as a historic day and credited the late Ratan Tata with the initiative more than ten years ago. Six of the 16 aircraft that will be shipped from Spain as part of the €2.3 billion agreement with Airbus, which was signed in 2021, have already been handed to the Indian Air Force. India's first C-295 is anticipated in 2026, and Tata plans to produce 40 more in Vadodara.

India has made significant progress ~

(Source: Google Images) 

By encouraging private defense production and loosening regulations on foreign investment, Modi has sought to establish India as a global center for manufacturing since assuming office in 2014. His goal to modernize India's defense industry is reflected in this factory. 

This is Sanchez's first trip to India as a Spanish leader in eighteen years. He and Modi will sign trade, IT, renewable energy, and defense deals while on the trip and talk about bilateral relations. In addition, Sanchez is scheduled to travel to Mumbai to meet with industry executives and discuss potential collaborations in the film industry. 

With more than 200 Spanish businesses working in India and about 80 Indian businesses operating in Spain, commerce between India and Spain reached almost €9.2 billion in 2023.

Modi called the location—the nation's first private military aircraft manufacturing facility—a representation of the new Indian workplace culture. By 2026, the site will construct its first aircraft, according to Sanchez.