Make in India, Make for the Globe: Big step for India

Vadodara: Prime Minister Narendra Modi while laying the foundation stone for an aircraft manufacturing facility in Gujarat's Vadodara said it was India's giant leap towards becoming self-reliant in aviation sector.

"In the coming years, the Defence and Aerospace sectors will be two important pillars for making India 'Atmanirbhar'. By 2025, our defence manufacturing scale would cross $25 billion. Defence corridors being established in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu would power this scale," he said. This is the first time that such a huge investment is taking place in India's defence aerospace sector, the PM said, adding that his government has carried out several economic reforms over the years. These reforms have hugely benefitted the manufacturing sector and given it a boost, he added.

"The world's fastest growing aviation sector is in India today. We are about to be in the top three countries globally in terms of air traffic," he said.

Despite disruptions in the supply chain, in spite of the circumstances created by Covid and a war, India continues to be the growth momentum in the manufacturing sector, the Prime Minister said.

The PM was felicitated by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Tata Sons chairperson N Chandrasekaran at the site of the C-295 transport aircraft manufacturing facility. Transport aircraft to be built in Vadodara will not only give strength to our army, it will also develop a new ecosystem for aircraft manufacturing, Modi said.

"India, following the mantra of 'Make in India, Make for the Globe' is today increasing its potential," he added. The C-295 transport aircraft for the Indian Air Force will be manufactured by Tata-Airbus, the Defence Ministry has said. Apart from making 40 aircraft, this facility at Vadodara will manufacture additional aircraft for Air Force requirements and exports.

Tata-Airbus combine had said that C-295 manufacturing is "the first Make in India aerospace programme in the private sector involving the full development of a complete industrial ecosystem; from manufacture to assembly, test and qualification, to delivery and maintenance of the complete lifecycle of the aircraft."