Modi government clears Tata-Airbus military plane order worth $1.9 billion

By NewsGram Staff Writer

The defence ministry has agreed to purchase 56 military transport aircrafts from Europe's Airbus in collaboration with India's Tata Advanced Systems in a deal worth USD 1.9 billion, said an official on Thursday.

Under the new proposal, the Airbus would build 16 twin-turboprop while TATA would manufacture the remaining 40 in Hyderabad in a technology transfer.

"The new project shows Prime Minister Narendra Modi's determination to build a strong and constructive military force," said a minister.

"I want to see India as the world's number one defence importer and have 70 percent of hardware manufactured domestically by the turn of the decade," said PM Modi.

As per an official, other orders approved a few days back include 145 BAE Systems ultra-light artillery howitzers, Indo-Russian BrahMos cruise missiles for six warships and 197 Russian Kamov helicopters.