Two years after it was announced, India’s first private sector helicopter final assembly line (FAL)—to manufacture Airbus’s best-selling H125 helicopters—was inaugurated on Tuesday at Vemagal in Karnataka’s Kolar district. The facility, built by Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) in partnership with European aerospace major Airbus, was inaugurated virtually by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting French President Emmanuel Macron. The project, seen as a big boost to aircraft manufacturing in India, was first announced on Republic Day in 2024 in conjunction with Macron’s visit to India at the time.
While Modi and Macron inaugurated the facility virtually from Mumbai, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu, and France’s Minister of the Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs Catherine Vautrin, were present at the FAL site for the inauguration. The delivery of the first made-in-India H125 helicopter is expected in early 2027, and the FAL will serve the Indian market as well as other markets in the region.
Although the H125 is primarily a civil helicopter and the initial proposal was to build the helicopters in India for civilian applications and use, plans now also include a military version—H125M—to be offered out of the Indian factory with high levels of indigenised components and technologies. Airbus sees the H125M as an “ideal successor” to Cheetah and Chetak helicopters used by the Indian armed forces. These helicopters were a result of an industrial collaboration agreement dating back over 60 years between Airbus and government undertaking Hindustan Aeronautics.
Moreover, civil helicopter use in India lags many other countries where choppers are routinely used for a number of purposes. India’s massive population and notable economic growth make it an attractive potential market for increased civil helicopter use.
Vemagal was announced as the location of the H125 FAL in October. Airbus and TASL had originally shortlisted eight potential sites for the FAL, top Airbus Helicopters officials had said in July 2024. TASL and Airbus have a broader partnership with the Tata group company already having an FAL for the Airbus C295 military aircraft in Gujarat’s Vadodara. The India FAL for the H125 will be the fourth production unit for the single-engine helicopter with an initial annual production capacity of 10 helicopters, with the scope to ramp up production based on demand growth in India and the broader South Asia region, Airbus had earlier. Currently, Airbus manufactures H125 helicopters in France, the US, and Brazil.
Although smaller, the H125 FAL in India will have the same processes and standards as the flagship facility in Marignane (France) and helicopters produced in India will come with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification. The made-in-India H125s are also expected to be similar in pricing to those manufactured elsewhere despite the import of key components.
“The inauguration of the H125 FAL is a defining step towards India’s civil and defence sovereignty when it comes to vertical lift capabilities. By establishing this facility with the Tata Group, Airbus is offering the Indian market a versatile and competitive platform with unrivaled performance that is ‘Made in India’ and tailored for missions across the country’s unique topography,” said Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters.
“The FAL will also be able to produce the military version H125M with a level of local manufacturing that ensures the Indian forces remain mission-ready at all times. It will also be a game-changer for the development of the civil helicopter market,” Even added.
TASL and Airbus said that the H125M is optimised to serve as a “high-altitude force multiplier across a spectrum of critical missions”, adding that it is designed to excel in tactical reconnaissance and surveillance. Additionally, the H125M provides a decisive edge in high-altitude logistics, ensuring the delivery of vital supplies to remote frontline outposts, and serves as a rapid-response asset for search and rescue or medical evacuation operations, they said.
Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran said, “We are proud to establish the H125 Helicopter Final Assembly Line, a first in the private sector in India—a landmark step in the nation’s journey towards self-reliance in aerospace and defence. This facility reflects the growing depth of India’s industrial capabilities and the strength of our long-standing partnership with Airbus. Together, we are contributing to the creation of a globally competitive aerospace ecosystem in India.”
In India, civil helicopters are mainly used for commercial charter operations, tourism and pilgrimages, offshore operations by the oil and gas sector, and by corporations and high net-worth individuals. Their use for para-public services, including emergency medical services, law enforcement, firefighting, and natural disaster management, in India is significantly lower than many other parts of the world, including a number of developing countries. The H125 is seen as highly suited for such operations. One of the most popular helicopters globally, there are over 4,300 H125s flying around the world.
Airbus believes that the H125 FAL in India will not just make it competitive in terms of lead and delivery times to Indian and South Asian customers, but also address the region’s growing demand for helicopters. As per Airbus, the projected demand for H125 class of helicopters in India and neighbouring countries—Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives—is pegged at 500 helicopters over the next couple of decades, with India likely to account for a large majority of the incremental demand. Currently, the region has around 350 civil and para-public helicopters, of which around 250 are in India. Airbus Helicopters has a market share of 40% in the region in civil and para-public helicopters.
