The Indian Air Force (IAF) carries out the maiden test flight of the first “made-in-India” C-295 military transport aircraft. Multiple outlets report that the aircraft successfully completes its first flight, marking the start of operational flight testing for the domestically built variant. The Times of India says the maiden test flight takes place in Vadodara. The aircraft is produced under a programme in which Airbus and Tata Advanced Systems Limited build a batch of C-295 aircraft in India. Times of India reports this first aircraft is the first of 40 that Airbus will build in India for the IAF, as part of the wider indigenous manufacturing arrangement. NDTV and Mint also describe the event as an IAF milestone, noting that it demonstrates progress in India’s domestic defence aerospace manufacturing. The Hindu adds that the IAF is procuring 56 C-295 transport aircraft at an estimated cost of around ₹21,935 crore. Across reports, there is no indication of any abnormalities during the flight, and the event is presented as a preliminary step in bringing the fleet into service.