Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed a contract with M/s Airbus Defence and Space, Spain for the acquisition of 56 C-295MW transport aircraft for the Indian Air Force, on September 24, 2021. The MoD has also signed an Offset Contract with M/s Airbus Defence and Space through which M/s Airbus will discharge its offset obligations through direct purchase of eligible products and services from Indian Offset Partners. These contracts were signed following the approval accorded by the Cabinet Committee on Security earlier this month. The C-295 aircraft will replace the ageing Avro HS-748 aircraft fleet of the Indian Air Force (IAF).
The first 16 aircraft in the deal will be delivered in fly-away condition while the remaining 40 will be assembled in India by Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), as part of an industrial partnership between Airbus and TASL. The IAF will be the 35th operator of the C-295 worldwide.