India finally orders new medium-lift transports
India will order 56 C295W transport aircraft, most of which will be assembled locally. (Airbus)
In a procurement that has dragged on for nearly a decade, India has passed another hurdle in the process of renewing its transport aircraft fleet.
At long last, the Indian Cabinet Committee on Security – the country’s final decision-making body relating to military expenditure – has approved the procurement of 56 Airbus C295W medium-lift transport aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
They will replace a geriatric fleet of more than 50 HS748 Avro aircraft.
No monetary figure was publicised by the government, for the trilateral Airbus-Tata Group-IAF deal is yet to be signed. However, it is expected to be in the order of $2.5 billion.
According to a press release issued by the Press Information Bureau on 8 September, the first 16 aircraft will
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Air Warfare
-
![US Navy keeps Super Hornet production restart option open, but without defined cost or timetable]()
US Navy keeps Super Hornet production restart option open, but without defined cost or timetable
The US Navy plans to preserve Super Hornet and Growler tooling as production winds down, with restart costs unassessed and final F/A-18 deliveries expected in late 2027.
-
![Connecting the layers: how networks can secure the future of European air defence]()
Connecting the layers: how networks can secure the future of European air defence
The rise of drones has reshaped the threat landscape for all European militaries. For industry, future defensive strategies must carefully balance a mix of passive and active measures to address the evolving danger, based around a highly integrated and responsive network of sensors and effectors.
-
![October drone digest: France and Lithuania advance loitering munition procurements as global spending surges]()
October drone digest: France and Lithuania advance loitering munition procurements as global spending surges
Recent procurement developments in France and Lithuania highlight the growing demand for loitering munitions, with global annual spending forecast to increase nearly 50-fold between 2020 and 2029.
-
![Germany could secure greater influence through sixth-generation fighter partnership with Sweden and Spain]()
Germany could secure greater influence through sixth-generation fighter partnership with Sweden and Spain
Germany is assessing potential pathways for a future sixth-generation fighter capability, including discussions with GCAP partners and Sweden.
-
![Quantum Systems details 480km/h Ukrainian interceptor as production scales up]()
Quantum Systems details 480km/h Ukrainian interceptor as production scales up
Quantum Systems’s Ukraine-made interceptor SPYS is thought to cost approximately 10 times less than Russia's jet-powered uncrewed aerial systems and is being produced at scale.
