'Made in India' H125 Helicopter to Strengthen Armed Forces, Boost Self-Reliance

India inaugurated its first private-sector helicopter final assembly line in Karnataka. The Airbus-Tata Advanced Facility will build H125 helicopters with rollout expected by early 2027. It was launched virtually by PM Modi & French President Macron.

New Delhi: India’s first private-sector helicopter final assembly line was inaugurated on Tuesday at Vemagal in Karnataka, marking a major milestone in the country’s aerospace manufacturing journey.

The facility is a joint venture between European aerospace major Airbus and Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), and will manufacture the Airbus H125 helicopters in India.

PM Modi, French President Macron inaugurate facility

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron, currently on a three-day visit to India, jointly inaugurated the facility virtually from Mumbai on the sidelines of a bilateral meeting.

The first helicopter from the plant is expected to roll out by early 2027. Initially, the facility will produce around 10 helicopters annually, with plans to scale up production to meet an estimated demand for nearly 500 helicopters over the next two decades.

Beyond manufacturing, the plant will provide maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services, generating thousands of skilled jobs and strengthening India’s aerospace supply chain by encouraging local suppliers.

The H125 holds a distinguished record in aviation history, having successfully landed atop Mount Everest – the highest-altitude helicopter landing ever achieved.

The ‘Made in India’ H125 will serve both civilian and defence requirements. It is well-suited for the Indian armed forces’ need for a light multi-role helicopter, particularly for operations in high-altitude Himalayan regions.

Plans are also underway to produce its military variant, the H125M, at the facility with a high degree of indigenized components and technologies.

The domestically manufactured H125M is expected to significantly advance India’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India) initiative in military helicopter production by deepening the indigenous defence manufacturing ecosystem. The helicopters will also be available for export across South Asia.

Speaking at the inauguration event in Vemagal near Bengaluru, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh described the development as a testament to the growing India–France partnership, stating that bilateral collaboration between the two nations is “limitless.”

The Airbus-Tata partnership in helicopters follows their earlier collaboration on manufacturing the C295 military transport aircraft in India, further strengthening defence industrial ties between the two countries.

The H125 first flew in 1974 and entered service in 1975 as a versatile light utility helicopter.

Its military variant, the H125M, introduced in 1990, is designed for armed reconnaissance, light attack, and training roles.

Currently, over 400 H125/H125M military variants are in service with around 44 armed forces across over 35 countries, including France, Brazil, Mexico, Qatar, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.