NEW DELHI: The second C-295 transport aircraft from Airbus Defence and Space, which is expected to be delivered shortly, is a part of Spain’s commitment to deliver 56 such aircraft to the Indian Air Force, after a deal worth Rs 21,935 crore was signed.
Spain’s Ambassador to India, Jose Maria Ridao, in an exclusive interaction with this newspaper said that this order could be increased upto 100 units or more.
"We are happy to collaborate with India on this project and as you may recall that the first aircraft was delivered in September last year. The first 16 will be built in Seville and the remaining 40 in Vadodara. However, I am optimistic that this order will increase upto 100 units or more,’’ Ambassador Ridao told this newspaper.
These aircrafts will replace IAF’s ageing Avro-748 fleet.
Spain is also pitching for an order of submarines and has invited Indian naval officials to Spain. It may be recalled that in July 2023, Spanish company Navantia and engineering major Larsen and Tubro signed a teaming agreement for submitting techno-commercial bid for the Indian Navy’s P75 submarine programme.
"The Indian navy officials, when they visit Spain, can see for themselves the technological advancement of the submarines,’’ said Ambassador Ridao.
Project 75 requires the Indian bidder to tie up with a foreign collaborator and execute the delivery of six conventional submarines equipped with Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) while achieving targeted indigenous content. Expected to be valued at Euro 4.8 billion (Rs 43,000 crore), this will be amongst India’s largest defence projects.
Meanwhile, Spain is India’s sixth largest trading partner in the European Union. India’s exports to Spain in 2023 were Euro 5.847 million while Spain’s export to India were Euro 1.7779 million
"There are over 250 Spanish companies in India, and we have bilateral trade visits with India. These include delegations from West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, while Punjab and Gujarat too are likely to send their delegations for possible collaborations,’’ the Ambassador added.
Speaking about the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in India, Ambassador Ridao said that being a democracy is the extraordinary value that India holds.
"From a colonial past to a democracy, India has come a long way. Our objective will be to continue to have a stable and well founded relationship with the people of India,’’ he added.