India has received the 16th and final Airbus C-295MW medium transport aircraft from Spain on August 2, 2025, completing the direct delivery phase of its Rs. 21,935-crore contract.

Delivered two months ahead of schedule, the aircraft will replace the ageing Avro fleet, while the remaining 40 units will be built in India by Tata Advanced Systems under the Make-in-India programme.

Key Points:

• The delivery completes the first tranche of 16 aircraft supplied directly by Airbus from its Seville, Spain assembly line.
• The C-295MW has a payload capacity of 5–10 tonnes and endurance of up to 11 hours, enhancing operational flexibility across varied terrains.
• The remaining 40 aircraft will be manufactured at Tata Advanced Systems’ Vadodara facility, India’s first private-sector military aircraft assembly line.
• The final delivery ceremony in Seville was attended by Indian Ambassador Dinesh K. Patnaik and senior IAF officials.
• The fleet will boost India’s airlift capability, particularly for operations in remote and high-altitude regions, replacing the legacy Avro-748 aircraft.