Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron will inaugurate the Tata-Airbus H125 helicopter final assembly line (FAL) at Vemagal, Karnataka today (February 17) via video conferencing from Mumbai. This is the first helicopter assembly plant set up by the private sector under India’s Self-reliant India Mission, which is being considered an important milestone in the country’s aerospace manufacturing sector.
This state-of-the-art plant has been set up as a joint venture between Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) and Airbus. The facility located at Vemagal will take advantage of the region’s strong aerospace ecosystem and trained human resources.
The plant will manufacture the Airbus H125 helicopter, which is the world’s best-selling single-engine helicopter and is known for its performance at high altitudes and harsh conditions. The H125 is the only helicopter to have successfully landed on Mount Everest. Its ability to operate in high altitude and hot environments makes it strategically important for high-altitude border areas like Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh.
The first Made in India H125 helicopter is expected to be ready and handed over to customers by early 2027. The entire process from assembly, integration of electrical and mechanical systems, testing and final flight testing at Tata’s plant will be handled by TASL.
Although the primary focus will be on civilian use, there are also plans to produce a military version of the H125, the H125M, in the future, which will incorporate a high level of indigenous technology. It aims to meet the requirements of light multi-role helicopters of the Indian Armed Forces.
This plant will not only meet the domestic demand but also has the potential for export to other countries in the South Asian region. This is the second joint assembly line of Tata and Airbus; Earlier both have set up C295 military transport aircraft manufacturing facility in Vadodara, Gujarat.
This project is also important from economic point of view. Airbus already sources more than $1.4 billion worth of parts and services from India every year, creating thousands of local jobs. According to experts, this new helicopter assembly line can give India a stronger position in the global aerospace supply chain.
Also read:
Sukant Majumdar warns of job loss due to association with Trinamool!
Important talks will take place between Emmanuel Macron and PM Modi; French President’s visit will be like this
Right to stop missionaries from entering tribal villages: Supreme Court
Mother and daughter were living in India for 30 years with the help of fake documents, FIR registered
Comments are closed.