Vadodara: The first indigenous C-295 military transport aircraft manufactured by Tata Advanced Systems Limited in collaboration with Airbus took its first trial flight from Vadodara Airport on Tuesday.

The aircraft, assembled at the Tata-Airbus facility in Harni, took off from Vadodara Airport at around 2 pm and successfully returned after the test flight. With the successful completion of flight trials, the Indian Air Force could receive the first Made-in-India C-295 aircraft before September 2026.

The aircraft was rolled out on May 11, 2026, following which it underwent a series of ground and technical tests. The successful trial flight marks a significant milestone in the program.

The C-295 project is being executed under a ₹21,935-crore contract between India and Spain. A total of 56 aircraft are to be inducted into the Indian Air Force fleet. Of these, 16 aircraft are being manufactured in Spain, while the remaining 40 will be produced at the Vadodara facility.

The C-295 aircraft will replace the aging Avro-748 transport fleet of the Indian Air Force. With the completion of ground and technical testing, the successful flight trial marks the beginning of a new chapter in India’s indigenous military aircraft manufacturing program, with Vadodara emerging as a key production hub. DeshGujarat