Navantia made S-80 Plus Submarine an advanced platform which could well serve Indian Navy

New Delhi: To improve its naval and air defence capabilities, India regularly collaborates with Spain. In keeping with that, India may purchase five Spanish naval submarines. This comes after India and Spain signed an agreement to buy 56 C295MW Airbus planes for 2.5 billion euros to replace the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) AVRO fleet.

“Spain is among the nations competing in the tender as India considers purchasing submarines. Spain views Navantia’s (a Spanish corporation) proposition as being extremely competitive in terms of quality, price, technology transfer, and indigenization. Navantia would be responsible for supplying the Indian Navy with cutting-edge conventional Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) submarines if the Indian government accepts the offer,” Jose Maria Ridao, the ambassador of Spain to India, said.

In the meantime, India and Spain have agreed to a deal to pay Euro 2.5 billion for 56 Airbus planes.

“This contract exemplifies the enormous potential between our two countries. On the one hand, it demonstrates the significance of Spain’s defence sector, and on the other, it supports the “Make in India” strategy. In that regard, the first 16 aircraft will be constructed in Seville, and TATAs will produce the remaining 40 aircraft with aid from Spain,” Ambassador Ridao added.

This will be the country’s first private sector “Make in India” aerospace initiative, involving the full establishment of an entire industrial ecosystem, from production through assembly, testing and certification to delivery and maintenance for the aircraft’s entire lifecycle.

“The first 16 aircraft will be delivered by Airbus from its final assembly line in Seville, Spain, in “fly-away” condition in accordance with the contract. As part of an industrial collaboration between the two businesses, the following 40 aircraft will be produced and assembled by TATA Advanced Systems (TASL) in India,” announced a Tata representative.

The C295 is utilized for tactical transport of up to 71 infantry or 50 paratroopers and logistical operations to regions inaccessible to more modern heavier aircraft because of its demonstrated ability to operate from short to unprepared airstrips.

The difference between imports and exports in Spain has increased recently.

“The difference between Spanish exports and imports from India in 2021 was €1,496.53 million, or 35.6% of the total value of exports and imports. As a sign of recovery following the recession, total exports rose by 37.1% in 2021,” Ambassador Ridao indicated the epidemic.

Spanish imports from India were €2,466.7 million, and exports to India were €731.9 million in the first five months of 2022, for a coverage rate of 29.67 per cent.