The first C-295 medium tactical transport aircraft was inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Monday. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh formally inducted the transport aircraft in the presence of Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari and other top military officials in Ghaziabad.

The new generation C295 aircraft from Airbus is a highly versatile tactical transport that is tailored for missions that range from carrying troops and cargo to maritime patrol to signals intelligence and medical evacuation. The C-295 aircraft is capable of carrying up to nine tonnes of payload or as many as 71 troops at a maximum cruise speed of 260 knots.

Under the deal, Airbus will deliver the first 16 aircraft in ‘fly-away’ condition from its final assembly line in Seville by 2025 and the subsequent 40 aircraft will be manufactured and assembled by Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) in India as part of an industrial partnership between the two companies.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is procuring the C295 aircraft to replace its fleet of ageing Avro-748 planes that entered the service over six decades back. The aircraft can airdrop paratroops and loads, and also be used for casualty or medical evacuation. The aircraft is capable of performing special missions as well as disaster response and maritime patrol duties.

Rajnath Singh also inaugurated the Bharat Drone Shakti-2023 exhibition at the Hindon Air Base in Ghaziabad. The mega drone show is being hosted by the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Drone Federation of India (DFI). Bharat Drone Shakti 2023 promises to spotlight the full potential of the Indian drone industry, with an impressive lineup of over 50 live aerial demonstrations.