While there has not been a disclosure of any of the sites under consideration, the final decision would be made soon.
The final assembly line (FAL) is already being planned for the manufacture of European aerospace major Airbus’ H125, which is its best-selling civil helicopter, in India. The FAL was announced on India’s Republic Day 2024 in line with the state visit of the French President Emmanuel Macron to India. Now, the location of the FAL will be finalised shortly, and it is believed that eight potential sites are under consideration, as informed by top Airbus Helicopters.
“We have identified eight sites, which we are currently assessing…we are still in the final assessment stage, but stay tuned, we should be in a position to announce shortly,” Olivier Michalon, Executive Vice President Global Business of Airbus Helicopters, said at the Airbus Helicopters headquarters in Marignane, located in the outskirts of the French city of Marseille.
 is already being planned.webp)
For the unversed, the FAL – which is the first in the private sector in India – is slated to be commissioned in 2026. It will be set up by Airbus Helicopters in association with Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL).
While no disclosure has yet been made on the sites under consideration, a final decision would be made based on several areas, including employees attraction, the plant’s suitability in terms of industrial activity, logistics, and more.
It is also expected that Airbus will hold the ground-breaking ceremony for the H125 India FAL around October-November this year. And finally, the first Made-in-India H125 helicopter is planned to roll out before the end of 2026. Interestingly, this is the second
aircraft FAL being set up in conjunction by Airbus and TASL. The two majors are already in the process of setting up the C295 military aircraft FAL in Vadodara.
Coming to the India FAL of the single-engine H125 helicopter, it is the fourth production unit for it. Currently, Airbus manufactures the H125 at its headquarters in Marignane, apart from the US and Brazil.
To say the least, the India FAL can be aligned with the growth in demand in India and the broader south Asian region. “I know 10 doesn’t sound like a lot, but starting from scratch, it is not negligible. It could very well be 20, 30, or 50 in some years, depending on the market demand,” Michalon told the reporters. Clearly, India’s population and notable economic growth makes it a potential market for civil helicopter use.
Meanwhile, Airbus hopes that the demand for H125 class of helicopters in India and countries like Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and the Maldive will be around 500 helicopters over the next two decades.
For those caught unaware, civil helicopters in India are only used for commercial charter operations, tourism and pilgrimages, apart from undertaking operations in the oil and gas sector. As for the H125 helicopter, it can be used for emergency medical services, law enforcement, firefighting, aerial works in industries, private and business aviation, and much more.
