Modi, Macron inaugurate India’s first private helicopter assembly line; Airbus-Tata to build H125 in Karnataka
New Delhi, February 17. India on February 17 marked a major milestone in its aerospace journey with the inauguration of the country’s first private-sector helicopter final assembly line (FAL) at Vemagal in Karnataka. The facility, a joint venture between European aerospace major Airbus and Tata Advanced Systems Limited, will manufacture the Airbus H125 helicopters in India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron jointly inaugurated the plant through a remote ceremony after holding bilateral talks in Mumbai.
The ‘Made in India’ H125 is positioned not only as a civilian helicopter but also as a potential solution for India’s defence needs. The platform can meet the armed forces’ requirement for a light multi-role helicopter, particularly suited for operations in the high-altitude terrain of the Himalayan frontiers. Plans are also underway to manufacture a military variant, the H125M, at the Vemagal facility, incorporating a high degree of indigenous components and technologies.
The production of the H125M in India is expected to significantly advance the country’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ (Self-reliant India) push in military helicopter manufacturing by strengthening and expanding the domestic aerospace ecosystem.
The first India-assembled civilian H125 helicopter is slated for delivery in early 2027. In addition to catering to domestic demand, the helicopter will also be offered for export across the South Asian region.
Addressing an event in Vemagal near Bengaluru, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh underscored the depth of Indo-French defence ties, remarking that India’s collaboration with France is “limitless”.
The helicopter programme follows closely on the heels of the Airbus-Tata partnership to manufacture the C295 military transport aircraft in India, a collaboration launched just two years ago.
