The Indian Coast Guard and Navy are on the verge of securing an acquisition of 15 Airbus C-295 military transport aircraft, as reported by reliable sources closely associated with the Ministry of Defence. The procurement, currently navigating its final stages of approval within the Ministry, comprises a strategic allocation of nine aircraft destined for deployment within the Navy and an additional six earmarked for service within the Indian Coast Guard. Developed as a joint venture between Tata Advanced Systems and aviation powerhouse Airbus, these C-295 aircraft are slated to play a pivotal role in enhancing maritime surveillance capacities. Outfitted with state-of-the-art radars and advanced sensor technologies, these aircraft will be retrofitted into sophisticated maritime patrol planes under the expertise of DRDO’s Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS), as confirmed by authoritative defense officials.
Director General Rakesh Pal of the Indian Coast Guard emphasized the imminent acquisition, stating, “Plans are underway to acquire long-range maritime surveillance aircraft, with contracts poised to be signed with TASL (TATA Advanced Systems Limited) for the procurement of six C295 transport aircraft.” Pal further underscored the Ministry of Defence’s unwavering commitment to ensuring sufficient financial resources to expedite and streamline the acquisition processes. Furthermore, the Coast Guard’s Director General disclosed plans to finalize contracts for an additional nine advanced-light ALH Dhruv helicopters. The Indian Air Force has already initiated induction procedures for the first C-295, originally manufactured in Spain. The initial batch of 16 aircraft was imported directly.
The Airbus C295, a medium tactical transport aircraft, traces its lineage back to the Spanish aerospace company CASA (now Airbus Military). It can be operated from austere airstrips with minimal reliance on ground support infrastructures; it can reportedly be operated on soft ground without major issues even when heavily loaded. It has an auto-reverse capability, being able to turn 180º on runways as narrow as 12 meters wide. It has sufficient volume to carry up to 71 soldiers, 24 stretchers along with up to seven medical attendants, five standard 108″ pallets of cargo, or three Land Rover-sized light vehicles. Numerous customers have opted to arm their aircraft to perform intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) operations, being outfitted with various sensors such as a multi-mission radar unit; it can even be equipped as a gunship and tasked with providing close air support to ground forces
Manufacturing and final assembly of the C-295 typically take place at the Airbus Defence and Space facilities in Seville, Spain. Collaborative production arrangements have been established with several customers, including Indonesian Aerospace, which has been licensed since 2011 to produce CN-295s at its Bandung facilities. In 2021, an agreement was reached for Tata Advanced Systems Limited to undertake the license-manufacturing of 40 C-295s in India, forming part of a larger purchase. Subsequently, the plan involves the domestic production of an additional 40 C-295s, alongside the proposed 15 units allocated for the Navy and Coast Guard, to be manufactured at a Tata facility in Vadodara, Gujarat. This substantial production increase would significantly bolster the order book of Tata Airbus, elevating it from the existing 56 to a staggering 71 pending the green light from the government.
