$25bn defence output by 2025: PM at C-295 facility

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday made a strong pitch to global manufacturers, saying that the country is moving forward with the mantra of 'Make in India, Make for the World'.

- Rahul Singh and Maulik Pathak

The country is on its way to becoming a global hub for the manufacture of transport aircraft, the Prime Minister said after laying the foundation stone of a manufacturing facility being set up by Tata-Airbus consortium in Vadodara for C-295 medium transport aircraft for the Indian Air Force's transport fleet.

"We have taken a big step in the direction of making India the manufacturing hub of the world," he said.

India aims to scale up its defence manufacturing output to more than $25 billion by 2025. Of this, more than $5 billion will be for exports, Modi said, adding that the defence corridors being developed in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu will immensely help in scaling up this sector.

The C-295 aircraft manufacturing facility will be the first such facility in the private sector in the country.

"Now following 'Sabka Prayas', the government has started giving equal importance to the public and private sector... we have abandoned the makeshift approach of decision making and have come up with various new incentives for investors. Today our policies are stable, predictable and futuristic," the Prime Minister said.

In September last year, the defence ministry signed a 21,935-crore contract with Airbus Defence and Space for 56 C-295 planes to give push to the government's Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan. Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), and Airbus Defence and Space will jointly execute the programme.

Under the contract, the country will get 16 C-295 aircraft which will be delivered by Airbus in flyaway condition from Seville, Spain, and the remaining 40 will be manufactured in India by Tata consortium of TASL and Tata Consultancy Services.