Senior Airbus officials said on Sunday that Airbus Helicopters has shortlisted eight locations in India to establish a production line for the H125 helicopter, the fourth such facility in the world. In collaboration with Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), the company aims to produce 500 such light helicopters in the country over the next 20 years.
The single-engine H125’s final assembly line (FAL) in India will be the first for a civilian helicopter in the private sector.
“The final assessment of the places is underway. We will soon disclose where the H125 will be built in India. According to Olivier Michalon, executive vice president of global business at Airbus Helicopters, several factors will influence the decision, including the location’s appeal to our employees, its suitability for industrial activity, and the logistics ecosystem.
The new site’s groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for the end of the year. He said the Airbus-Tata partnership would initially produce ten helicopters per year, ramping up as orders increased. The H125 will also be supplied to South Asian countries.
Michalon’s comments came during an interaction with Indian journalists at Airbus’ Marignane helicopter facility, which opened in 1939 and is located outside Marseille. He discussed the partnership with TASL, the potential of India’s helicopter market, and how the H125 fits into the picture.
The agreement between the two firms to manufacture helicopters in the country, which aims to promote the Make in India model, was announced in January 2024 following talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron to strengthen strategic ties. India and France then agreed on a new roadmap for defense-industrial cooperation to identify prospects for collaboration in military hardware design, development, and manufacturing.
Airbus will set up its second final assembly facility in India. It is jointly undertaking a ₹21,935-crore project with TASL to equip the Indian Air Force with 56 C-295 aircraft to upgrade its transport fleet. In September 2021, the defence ministry inked a deal with Airbus Defence and Space to increase self-reliance in the critical sector. The European aircraft manufacturer would provide 16 planes in flyaway condition, with the remainder constructed in India at a Tata factory in Gujarat’s Vadodara city.
Airbus Helicopters believes that the C-295 experience will be useful.
“We share information with the group and learn from best practices. We also assess what could have been done better. “So there will be a learning curve for us,” Michalon explained.
The C-295 deliveries are in full swing, with the IAF receiving the last of the 16 flyaway aircraft in August 2025. The first “made in India” C-295 will be delivered from the Vadodara factory in September 2026, with the remaining 39 arriving by August 2031.
The first H125 will also be produced in an Indian factory in 2026. These helicopters are now manufactured only in France, the United States, and Brazil. At the Indian FAL, TASL will oversee major component assemblies, avionics and mission systems, flight controls, hydraulic circuits, fuel systems, and engines.
Airbus helicopters will provide support and guidance throughout the country, including the planned training of Indian professionals in France.
According to officials, the H125’s engine and gearbox will be sourced from France, the main airframe from Germany, and the tail boom from Spain.
The FAL in India will be the same as on the H125 production line in Marignane. “The goal is to ensure that we replicate the same quality and safety standards, invest in the best training for people, and have high-quality processes and operational efficiency,” said Jerome Ronssin, Airbus’ light helicopter programme manager.
The 2,8-tonne H125 can carry up to six passengers, fly at a maximum altitude of 23,000 feet, have a range of 630 kilometres, and reach a top speed of 250 kilometres per hour. It suits commercial transportation, law enforcement, emergency medical services, disaster management, offshore industry, and firefighting duties.
The military helicopter segment in India has grown, with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) developing many platforms, including the advanced light helicopter (also produced for civil usage), the light combat helicopter, and the light utility helicopter.
HAL has a full plate for the next 15 to 20 years regarding helicopters, and the private sector must step in, according to aviation affairs specialist Air Marshal Anil Chopra (retd). “The H125s from India will also be sold in other countries.” “It will boost India’s export profile.”
