In alignment with the 'Make in India' initiative aimed at promoting indigenous aircraft manufacturing, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Spanish counterpart, Pedro Sanchez, will jointly inaugurate the Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL)-Airbus factory in Vadodara on October 28.
The two leaders will also engage in a bilateral meeting in Vadodara, according to a release from the Gujarat government.
PM Modi and Spanish Counterpart, Pedro Sanchez. File Image- PIB
As per the state government's statement, the foundation stone for the C-295 transport aircraft manufacturing facility was laid by Modi in October 2022, and both leaders will officially open the plant on the upcoming Monday.
The Vadodara Municipal Corporation is making extensive preparations for the visit, according to the government release.
In September 2021, India finalized a deal worth nearly Rs 21,000 crore with Airbus Defence and Space to acquire 56 C-295 transport aircraft, replacing the Indian Air Force's aging Avro-748 planes. This project marks the first time a private company will manufacture military aircraft in India.
As part of the agreement, Airbus will deliver the first 16 aircraft in 'fly-away' condition from its assembly line in Seville, Spain, within four years. The remaining 40 aircraft will be manufactured and assembled in India by Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) under an industrial partnership between the two companies.
Statement from State Government
“Modi along with Sanchez will launch the ambitious Airbus project in Vadodara. This ‘Make in India’ initiative is designed to promote indigenous aircraft manufacturing. The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for this project exactly two years ago on October 30, 2022, in Vadodara,” it said.
The Tata-Airbus project will manufacture transport aircraft for the Indian Air Force, marking the beginning of a new chapter in aviation for the defence sector, the statement said.
“A vital bilateral meeting between the two Prime Ministers will also take place in Vadodara,” it said.
India-Spain Relation
The bilateral relations between the Republic of India and the Kingdom of Spain are referred to as India-Spain or Indo-Spanish relations.
Mutual Relations
In 1992, Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao visited Spain, followed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2017.
Trade between two countries
Since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1956, relations between India and Spain have remained cordial. In 1958, a mission led by a Chargé d'Affaires was set up in Madrid, followed by the appointment of India's first resident Ambassador in 1965.
Spain is India's 7th largest trading partner within the European Union. In 2017-18, bilateral trade reached $5.66 billion, marking a 4.91% growth over the previous year. India's exports, which increased by 16.65%, totaled $3.99 billion, while imports decreased by 15.51%, amounting to $1.66 billion. India's main exports to Spain include textiles, organic chemicals, iron & steel, seafood, automobiles, and leather, while key imports consist of mechanical appliances, electrical machinery, chemicals, plastic, and mineral fuels.
Spain is also the 15th largest foreign investor in India, with a cumulative FDI of $2.76 billion from April 2000 to June 2018. Approximately 200 Spanish companies operate in India, primarily in sectors such as metallurgy, renewable energy, automotive, ceramics, and infrastructure (highways, transmission lines, tunnels, and metro stations). Indian investments in Spain amount to around $900 million, with nearly 40 Indian companies active in industries like software and IT services, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and logistics. India ranks among the top 30 global investors in Spain and is one of the top five from Asia.
In January 2018, India’s Commerce Secretary led a delegation to the 11th India-Spain Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation (JCEC) in Madrid. Under the JCEC framework, the India-Spain CEOs Forum was established in February 2015, with the first formal meeting held in Madrid in May 2017. Additionally, the Global Innovation & Technology Alliance (GITA) and the Spanish Centre for Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI) launched the India-Spain Programme of Cooperation on Industrial Research and Development to support joint R&D projects between industries and academic institutions in both countries.
India and Spain have had a Joint Programme of Cooperation in Science and Technology since 2009. A meeting of the Science, Technology, and Innovation Steering Committee was held in Madrid in September 2017, as mentioned in the Joint Statement during the Indian Prime Minister's visit to Spain. Ongoing joint R&D projects focus on areas such as biosensors, bio-pesticides, bio-economy, waste-to-energy, e-health, and flexible electronics. During this visit, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in organ transplants was also signed.
Bilateral cooperation in sports has grown through interactions between the sports industries of both countries, with notable participation in football, badminton, hockey, and kabaddi events. There is potential for a separate MoU on sports cooperation. Recognizing the potential for tourism collaboration, an Expert Panel on Tourism was established during the Prime Minister's visit. The first meeting of this panel took place in Madrid on May 21, 2018, led by Shri Suman Billa (Joint Secretary, Ministry of Tourism) for India, and Mr. Manuel Butler (Director General, Turespaña) for Spain.
India frequently participates in major international trade fairs and conferences in Spain, such as FITUR (Tourism), Mobile World Congress (Telecom), CPhI Worldwide (Pharmaceuticals), and Smart City Expo World Congress (Smart Cities). Following the Joint Statement issued during the Prime Minister's visit, the second Spain-India Forum was co-organized by CII and the Spain India Council Foundation in Madrid in November 2017, drawing participation from over 200 companies. In 2017, the Indian Embassy, in collaboration with local chambers of commerce and industry associations, organized around 40 commercial events focused on trade, investment promotion, and the Indian government's flagship initiatives, covering key sectors such as infrastructure, renewable energy, food processing, automotives, defense, IT, smart cities, tourism, agrifood, innovation, and gastronomy.
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