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Adani Defence & Aerospace will set up a fully integrated helicopter manufacturing ecosystem in India in partnership with Italian aerospace major Leonardo.
The collaboration aims to develop, build and sustain helicopters in India to meet rising military requirements.
The development comes a week after Adani Defence signed a separate partnership with Brazilian aircraft maker Embraer. That tie-up focuses on building a regional transport aircraft ecosystem, including manufacturing, supply chains, training and India’s first final assembly line.
On Tuesday, Adani Group and Leonardo signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in New Delhi. The agreement aims to promote self-reliance in helicopter manufacturing and reduce reliance on imports.
The partnership will initially focus on the needs of the Indian armed forces. The platforms under consideration are Leonardo’s AW169M and AW109 TrekkerM helicopters.
Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh said the MoU shows how recent strategic commitments are turning into industrial cooperation.
“During the Republic Day visit, India and the EU agreed on a security and defence partnership. This MoU translates that intent into action,” he said.
Singh said self-reliance in defence does not mean shutting out foreign partners.
“We are building capability through technology transfer, local production and scale. Import dependence will reduce over time,” he said.
He underlined the importance of helicopters in India’s defence preparedness. Operational demands are growing in scale and complexity, he said.
Singh said public sector firms like Hindustan Aeronautics Limited have laid the foundation. He added that greater private sector participation is now needed.
“Global partnerships with capable Indian companies will strengthen competition and ensure better use of public funds,” he said.
The MoU also comes as the government revises the Defence Acquisition Procedure. DG Acquisition A Anbarasu said the focus is shifting from buying equipment to building capability.
“This partnership fits the new approach. It supports indigenous manufacturing and technology absorption,” he said.
Anbarasu pointed to the Union Budget, which increased defence capital allocations and reserved 75 per cent of modernisation spending for domestic procurement.
“This sends a clear signal to industry,” he said.
Adani Defence & Aerospace said the project will create an end-to-end helicopter ecosystem. It will cover manufacturing, assembly, maintenance, training and sustainment.
Jeet Adani, Director at Adani Defence & Aerospace, said the agreement marks a key step.
“We aim to build a future-ready helicopter ecosystem in India with world-class manufacturing and support,” he said.
Officials said the initial focus will remain military. The ecosystem may later expand to civil helicopters and global supply chains.
Italian Ambassador to India Antonio Enrico Bartoli said the partnership reflects growing trust between India and Europe.
“This is not just about business. It is about political trust and long-term cooperation,” he said.
Leonardo will provide helicopter design, engineering and lifecycle expertise. The programme will include phased indigenisation, MRO facilities and pilot training infrastructure in India.
Gian Piero Cutillo, Managing Director of Leonardo Helicopters, said India is a long-term market.
“India needs modern helicopter capability. We are pleased to support its industrial and operational goals,” he said.
Team BharatShakti
