Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi laid the foundation stone in Vadodara on Sunday, October 30, 2022, for a facility to produce C-295 military transport aircraft.
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IMAGE: An executive explains the manufacturing process to Modi, whose expression says it all. Photograph: ANI Photo
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IMAGE: The briefing continues for Modi, who has the reputation -- so those who work with him say -- of being a quick learner, who listens more than he speaks at briefings. Photograph: ANI Photo
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IMAGE: No, Tata Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekharan is not wearing a half sleeve business suit. The bare arm behind Chandra belongs to a member of the Special Protection Group who protect the prime minister :)) Photograph: ANI Photo
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IMAGE: We know that feeling, Modiji. Which boy or man can resist the joy of having a toy plane in his hand? Photograph: ANI Photo
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IMAGE: That is what a C-295 military transport aircraft looks like in flight.
Thank you Raksha Mantriji for tweeting this pic. Photograph: ANI Photo
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IMAGE: Since the project is designed to manufacture aircraft for the Indian Air Force, we can understand Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's presence on stage, but what is Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia doing at the event? Unless, of course, Maharaj is required to be present at every ceremony involving flight.
The raksha mantri is seated second from left, the maharaja of Gwalior, second from right. Photograph: ANI Photo
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IMAGE: We can understand Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel's delight.
The Tata project is the second project originally meant to be set up in Maharashtra that has come election-bound Gujarat's way in recent weeks.
The assembly election schedule for Gujarat was predicted to be announced on Tuesday, November 1, but Sunday's unfortunate tragedy in Morbi, just a couple of hours after this event, we think, could delay the announcement by a day or two. Photograph: PTI Photo
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff.com
Feature Presentation: Mahipal Soni/Rediff.com