AgustaWestland, Tatas tie up to make helicopters in India

AgustaWestland, a UK-based helicopter design and manufacturing company, part of Finmeccanica, has partnered Tata Sons to launch a joint venture company to manufacture its AW119 helicopters in India. The agreement, signed at the Aero India by Giuseppe Orsi, CEO, AgustaWestland and Tata Sons chairman Ratan Tata, will become operational by 2011. It will cater to both the domestic and the export market, company officials said.

“Establishing an AW119 final assembly line in India will allow us to meet the growing demand in the world market for a modern single engine helicopter and to further expand our presence in India where we see strong future business opportunities,” Orsi said after signing the agreement.

AW119 is a single engine helicopter with capacity for eight passengers. The helicopter is meant for multiple use including corporate transport, offshore works, air-ambulances and, maintaining law and order. During the last two years, the company has sold about 200 AW119 helicopters including a few in India.

As per the agreement, AugustaWestland will hold 26 per cent in the JV, the maximum permissible foreign direct investment in the Indian defence sector, while the Tatas will hold the rest.

Though both companies have refused divulge the size of the investment, the investment is expected to be of the size of $20 million.

Other than catering to the civilian market, the helicopters can also be to the defence forces. AgustaWestland has already given a proposal to supply helicopters to the Indian Armed Forces Reconnaissance and Surveillance Helicopter (RSH) programme.

If selected, the company will also use the manufacturing facility in India to deliver the helicopters, Geoff Russell, communications manager for AgustaWestland said.