To support domestic manufacturing, Airbus Helicopters and the Tata Group will collaborate to build a final assembly line for helicopters in the nation.
After the ‘Make in India’ C295 military aircraft manufacturing facility in Gujarat, this will be Airbus’ second final assembly line constructed in India.
According to a statement from Airbus Helicopter, the Final Assembly Line (FAL) will manufacture Airbus H125 helicopters from its civil range for export to India and a few other neighbouring nations.
The facility will also be the first instance where a private sector player will set up a helicopter manufacturing facility in India, providing a major boost to the Indian government’s ‘AatmaNirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India) programme, the statement said.
The first ‘Made in India’ H125s are expected to be delivered in 2026, and the FAL is anticipated to be operational in 24 months.
Airbus and the Tata Group will decide on the FAL’s location together.
No financial information was provided.
Jyotiraditya Scindia, the minister of civil aviation, declared that today is historic and that the partnership represents a critical turning point in the promotion of domestic manufacturing. It will also strengthen the economy by generating a wide range of employment opportunities.
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Following the agreement, Airbus Helicopters and Tata Advanced Systems Ltd. (TASL), a Tata Group subsidiary, will establish the facility.
As the Chief Guest for the Republic Day celebrations, French President Emmanuel Macron announced during his two-day visit to India.
According to Airbus Helicopters, the FAL will install electrical harnesses, hydraulic circuits, flight controls, dynamic components, fuel systems, and engines in addition to integrating the major component assemblies, avionics, and mission systems.
Additionally, it will handle the H125’s delivery, qualification, and testing to clients in India and the surrounding area.
“Helicopters are crucial for nation building. A ‘Made-in-India’ civil helicopter will not only be a symbol of the confident New India but will also unlock the true potential of the helicopter market in the country,” Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury said.
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He also said the FAL is a reaffirmation of Airbus’ commitment to developing the full spectrum of the aerospace ecosystem in India.
“This will be the second final assembly line Airbus is building in India after the ‘Make in India’ C295 military aircraft manufacturing facility in Vadodara, Gujarat,” Faury said.
N Chandrasekaran, chairman of Tata Sons, expressed the company’s happiness at establishing the first private helicopter assembly plant in India.
“This facility will have the final assembly line in partnership with Airbus for the world’s bestselling Airbus H125 single-engine helicopter for the Indian as well as export markets,” he stated.
According to the statement, this multipurpose workhorse will revolutionize both passenger and freight transportation and be utilized in several other industries, including emergency medical services (HEMS), tourism, law enforcement, disaster relief, and aerial work missions.
The country’s tourism industry will be further boosted by the H125’s last-mile connectivity to remote areas, which will also play a major role in the Central Government’s ‘UDAN’ regional connectivity scheme.
In a post on X, Scindia said the partnership will empower the Make In India initiative.
According to him, it will also significantly strengthen Indo-French ties, open up a variety of employment and job creation opportunities, and unleash the potential of the Indian aerospace industry.
Following a meeting with Faury earlier in the day, Scindia stated that India has enormous potential to develop into a global hub for the manufacture of aircraft.
Source: PTI
