The first 'Made in India' Airbus C295 military transport aircraft has conducted its first test flight

The first indigenously manufactured "Made-in-India" Airbus C295 military transport aircraft successfully completed its maiden test flight on June 10, 2026. The aircraft, which will take off from the Tata Advanced Systems Final Assembly Line in Vadodara, Gujarat, marks a major milestone for India's domestic defense manufacturing and private aerospace sector.

✈️ Key details of the C295 Program Total Agreement: 

• Private Sector First : Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), a private company in collaboration with Airbus, is building the first fully-fledged military aircraft in India.
• Contract : India has signed a ₹21,935 crore ($2.6 billion) deal to buy 56 C295 transport aircraft. Of the 56 aircraft contract worth ₹21,935 crore, 16 will come directly from Spain, while 40 will be manufactured in India . 
• Role : It is a replacement for the aging Avro-748 and is designed for tactical military transport, cargo delivery, and medical evacuation, and is capable of operating from small or unpaved border runways. 
• Indigenization : It uses over 13,000 locally manufactured components, raising the target of indigenous content to 75%.
• Delivery schedule: After successful post-production flight trials, this first Indian-made aircraft will be officially handed over to the Indian Air Force (IAF) by the end of 2026. The last indigenously built aircraft is expected in August 2031.

The Airbus C295 is a tactical and medium-payload military transport aircraft designed to replace the aging Avro-748 of the Air Force. With   a payload capacity of up to 9,250 kg (20,000 lb) for 71 soldiers, 50 paratroopers, or 24 medical stretchers, and powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127G turboprops, the C295 is highly effective for deployment in mountainous border areas and remote logistics hubs due to its runway flexibility, exceptional short take-off and landing (STOL) capability on soft, sandy, or unpaved airstrips, and the ability to operate on short, unprepared runways for primary missions, troop movement, tactical logistics, medical evacuation, and disaster relief.

This maiden flight marks a crucial step in the post-production of the aircraft, the first of 40 to be manufactured in India. The flight is a step towards the programme's goal of delivering the first 'Made in India' C295 aircraft to the Indian Air Force this year.

A game changer in the Government of India's 'Make in India' vision, the C295 India programme is the first example of the private sector manufacturing a military aircraft in India. The progress of this programme reflects the consistent and dedicated work of Airbus, Tata Advanced Systems Limited and the many Indian MSMEs manufacturing aircraft components across India.

We thank the Indian Air Force, the Ministry of Defence and the Government of India for their unwavering trust in us. We are building the future of Indian space, Airbus said.

The first 'Made in India' Airbus C295 military transport aircraft has conducted its first test flight from the Final Assembly Line in Vadodara 🇮🇳, marking a milestone for Indian aviation and defence. This maiden test flight is a crucial step in the aircraft's post production… pic.twitter.com/nPkjpIENkD

— Airbus Defence (@AirbusDefence) June 10, 2026

The C295 program reached a monumental milestone on June 10, 2026, when the first locally built aircraft successfully completed its maiden test flight from the final assembly line in Vadodara, Gujarat.