New Delhi: The first ‘Made in India’ C-295 military aircraft is expected to roll out of a factory before September, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Wednesday as he underlined New Delhi’s commitment to build resilient manufacturing capabilities.
In his remarks at a meeting with Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares, Jaishankar asserted that the world must display “zero tolerance” towards terrorism.
“The world order is clearly undergoing a profound change. It is more imperative than ever before for nations to collaborate on shared challenges,” he said. “This is particularly the case with respect to combating terrorism where both India and Spain have been victims. The world must display zero tolerance towards terrorism,” he added.
The EAM also thanked Spain for its support for deeper India-EU ties across different domains and welcomed the European nation for joining India-backed Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI).
In his comments, the external affairs minister also highlighted growing trade and defence cooperation between India and Spain and mentioned the C-295 aircraft project.
In October 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Spanish President Sanchez inaugurated the C-295 final assembly line in Vadodara.
The IAF is getting 56 C-295 transport aircraft under a deal worth Rs 21,935 crore with Airbus Defence and Space. Forty of these aircraft will be built in India.
In his remarks, Jaishankar said the economic partnership between India and Spain is an important pillar of the overall relationship.
“Spain is among India’s important trade partners in the EU (European Union), and our bilateral trade in goods has crossed USD 8 billion in recent years.” Jaishankar said Spanish companies have made a significant presence in India, particularly in infrastructure, renewable energy, urban mobility, engineering and water management sectors.
“Indian companies are also active in Spain in IT, pharmaceuticals, and automotive components. We see considerable potential to further deepen this business cooperation,” he said.
“We are expecting the first “Made in India” C-295 aircraft to roll out of the factory before September this year. It reflects the growing depth of our defence industrial collaboration and our commitment to build resilient manufacturing capabilities,” he said.
The EAM also made a mention of India hosting the AI Impact Summit next month.
“Our approach to AI is human-centric, inclusive, and focused on its responsible and ethical use. I think it is very similar to the approach of Europe,” he said.