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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday inaugurated India’s first private-sector helicopter final assembly line at Vemagal in Karnataka’s Kolar district.
The facility will manufacture the Airbus H125 under a joint venture between Airbus, a European aerospace major, and Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL). The two leaders launched the plant virtually while holding bilateral talks in Mumbai.
The Vemagal unit marks the first time an Indian private company will undertake full assembly of a rotary-wing aircraft, including manufacturing, integration, testing and lifecycle support, within the country.
The first “Made in India” civilian H125 is expected to be delivered in early 2027. The helicopters will cater to domestic demand and will also be offered for export in the South Asian region.
Though positioned as a civilian platform, the H125 is suited for high-altitude operations and can meet military requirements for light, multi-role missions. Plans are in place to produce the military variant, H125M, from the same facility with significant indigenous content.
The H125M is designed for reconnaissance, surveillance, logistics support, search and rescue, and medical evacuation. Its high-altitude performance is seen as particularly relevant for operations along India’s Himalayan frontier.
The H125 holds a unique record; it is the only helicopter to have landed on the summit of Mount Everest, underscoring its capability in extreme conditions. Globally, it is the best-selling single-engine helicopter, with over 40 million flight hours logged as part of the Écureuil family. It is already widely used in India and across South Asia.
Speaking at the inauguration event in Vemagal, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh described India-France defence cooperation as having “limitless” potential. French Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin, along with senior leaders from Airbus and Tata Group, attended the ceremony.
N. Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons, said the facility reflects the growing depth of India’s aerospace capabilities and strengthens the long-standing partnership with Airbus. Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters, said the line would enhance India’s civil and defence vertical lift capacity and could also produce the H125M with substantial local manufacturing.
The helicopter project follows the earlier Airbus-Tata collaboration on the C295 military transport aircraft. Together, the two programmes signal the emergence of a private-sector aerospace manufacturing base in India, aligned with the government’s push for self-reliance in defence production.
Airbus currently sources components and services worth over $1.5 billion annually from India, including aerostructures and complex systems, reflecting the country’s expanding role in its global supply chain.
Team BharatShakti
