Airbus, Tata to set up India's first private helicopter plant in Karnataka

Airbus and Tata Advanced Systems will establish India's first private helicopter assembly line in Vemagal to produce H125s for civil, defence and export markets from 2027

Airbus and Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) will set up India’s first private-sector helicopter final assembly line (FAL) in Vemagal, Karnataka, to manufacture Airbus H125 helicopters, the companies announced on Wednesday.

 

The project was first unveiled in January 2024, when Airbus and TASL disclosed plans to build an H125 assembly facility in India, without naming the location. Wednesday’s announcement finalises Vemagal as the site of the plant.

 

Deliveries of the first ‘Made in India’ H125 are expected in early 2027, with the helicopters also to be made available for exports in South Asia.

 

The H125 is the world’s best-selling single-engine helicopter, designed for diverse uses such as passenger transport, emergency medical services, disaster relief, tourism, law enforcement, and aerial work.

 

Airbus said the ‘Made in India’ version would also be offered to the armed forces in a military variant, the H125M, well-suited for high-altitude missions in the Himalayas.

 

“India is an ideal helicopter country. A ‘Made in India’ helicopter will help develop this market and position helicopters as an essential tool for nation-building,” said Jürgen Westermeier, president and managing director, Airbus India and South Asia.

 

Sukaran Singh, CEO and managing director of TASL, added, “Tata Advanced Systems is proud to be the first private sector company in India to build helicopters. This is our second FAL in collaboration with Airbus and further reinforces the partnership between Tata and Airbus for India.” 

 

The upcoming facility will undertake assembly, integration and testing of structural, mechanical, and electrical systems, as well as final flight tests before delivery.

 

Airbus and Tata said the project will strengthen India’s aerospace ecosystem and advance the government’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative by creating new capabilities in both civil and defence aviation.

 

This will be Airbus’ second aircraft assembly plant in India with TASL, after the C295 military transport aircraft facility in Vadodara, Gujarat. Airbus currently sources about $1.4 billion worth of components and services annually from India, including complex aerostructures such as aircraft doors, flap-track beams and helicopter cabins.

 

Airbus’ presence in India dates back over six decades, beginning with an agreement with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to produce the Cheetah and Chetak helicopters, which remain in service with the armed forces. The company said the new H125 FAL marks a “natural progression” in this partnership, designed to meet India’s growing civil and defence helicopter needs while positioning the country as a hub for exports.