Narendra Modi and Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday virtually inaugurated a Final Assembly Line (FAL) for H125 helicopters at the Vemagal Industrial Area in Kolar district near Bengaluru, marking India’s first private-sector helicopter manufacturing facility and a major step in bilateral aerospace cooperation.
The facility will initially manufacture 10 H125 helicopters annually for domestic requirements and export markets in neighbouring regions. Production capacity may expand to meet an estimated demand of about 500 helicopters over the next two decades. Officials expect the first “Made in India” H125 helicopter from the plant to take flight by early 2027.
Defence ministers from both countries attended the event physically as part of the India-France Annual Defence Dialogue. Rajnath Singh represented India, while Catherine Vautrin represented France at the Karnataka facility.
Alongside helicopter manufacturing, cooperation in fixed-wing aircraft production is also advancing. The first “Made in India” C295 military transport aircraft is expected to roll out from the Vadodara facility in Vadodara by September 2026. Of the 56 aircraft ordered by the Indian Air Force, 16 have already been delivered from Spain, while the remaining 40 are under production in India.
The C295 programme has already integrated 37 Indian suppliers, with roughly 70 per cent of components sourced domestically. Officials view this localisation effort as a significant push toward strengthening India’s aerospace manufacturing ecosystem.
The H125 helicopter, known globally for its performance in extreme “hot and high” conditions, including record landings on Mount Everest, will serve civil roles such as emergency services, tourism, and other utility operations. Plans are also underway to produce the H125M military variant at the same site to support the armed forces.
Defence analysts describe the dual projects, helicopter assembly in Karnataka and aircraft production in Gujarat, as a key pillar of India’s drive toward self-reliance in aerospace manufacturing. The initiative aims to combine domestic industrial capacity with international technological collaboration.
Officials project that the combined aerospace initiatives could generate more than 10,000 jobs while building a comprehensive manufacturing ecosystem covering precision components, system integration, and flight testing infrastructure.
The helicopter assembly line inauguration reflects expanding strategic cooperation between India and France in defence production and high-technology manufacturing. Authorities expect the collaboration to strengthen industrial capability, enhance export potential, and support long-term technological partnerships in the aerospace sector.
