Airbus partners with Tata Group to set up India’s first helicopter Final Assembly Line

Airbus Helicopters has announced a partnership with the Tata Group to create a Final Assembly Line (FAL) for helicopters in India, providing a significant boost to ‘Make in India’ efforts. The FAL will manufacture Airbus‘ best-selling H125 helicopter from its civil range for India and export to certain neighboring countries.

The FAL will be the first instance of the private sector establishing a helicopter manufacturing plant in India, giving a significant boost to the Government of India’s ‘AatmaNirbhar Bharat’ (self-sufficient India) policy. Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), a Tata Group affiliate, and Airbus Helicopters will collaborate to build the facility.

The announcement was made during French President Emmanuel Macron’s two-day visit to India as the Chief Guest for Republic Day celebrations on January 26.

The FAL in India will integrate the primary component assemblies, avionics, and mission systems, as well as install the electrical harnesses, hydraulic circuits, flight controls, dynamic components, fuel system, and engine. It will also test, qualify, and deliver the H125 to customers in India and around the region. The FAL will take 24 months to set up, and deliveries of the first ‘Made in India’ H125s are scheduled to begin in 2026. The location of the FAL will be selected jointly by Airbus and the Tata Group.

The H125 is the world’s best-selling single-engine helicopter, outperforming other helicopters in its class. This high-performing, adaptable helicopter is part of Airbus’ Ecureuil family, which has collected over 38 million flight hours globally. It can operate in high-temperature and severe situations and is easily reconfigurable for a variety of missions such as aerial work, firefighting, law enforcement, rescue, air ambulance, passenger transport, and many more.

The H125 is the only helicopter to have landed on Mount Everest, confirming its capability in high-altitude, harsh situations.

The projected helicopter production plant will be Airbus’ second FAL in India, using TASL’s aerospace and defense expertise. The two businesses are producing the C295 military transport aircraft FAL in Vadodara.