France: Now Airbus will manufacture H125 helicopters in India, eight FAL sites will be ground-breaking this year

Airbus has only three such sites around the world where it has set up its final assembly lines. The final assembly line is where the company manufactures its H125 helicopters. Airbus officials said that, the facility, which will be the fourth final assembly line for the single-engine H125, will produce 10 helicopters annually to begin with and capacity will be increased based on market demand.

"India is the future market for helicopters," says Olivier Michelon, executive vice president of global business for Airbus Helicopters. "The existing market is at an extremely early stage, very small compared to the potential possibilities." FAL's ground-breaking ceremony is likely to happen this October or November and will become operational in 2026 while deliveries are expected from late 2026.

Olivier Michelon said that we have identified eight places that we are currently evaluating. We are still in the final stages of the evaluation. Michelon said at a briefing in Marignane earlier this week, "We want to be attractive and in an ecosystem that is best suited for industrial activities, logistics, employees and, of course, regulations." At the same time, Olivier Michelon stressed that manufacturing 10 helicopters is not much and it can be 20, 30, or 50 in a few years depending on the market demand.

Olivier Michelon said that we make, sell, and support helicopters. Also, we make, sell, and support solutions. This is what we can provide. Make-in-India solution as well. At the same time, Sunny Guglani, head of Airbus Helicopters in India and South Asia, said in the briefing that Airbus has estimated the demand for H125 helicopters in India and neighboring countries to be 500 in the next 20 years. According to the information, Airbus is also setting up FAL for C295 aircraft in Vadodara, Gujarat.

Marignane is the headquarters of Airbus Helicopters. While for Airbus, the H125 is the best-selling helicopter in India as well as the South Asia region. Which can carry six people. There are about 350 civilian and half-public helicopters in India and South Asia (India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Maldives). According to Airbus, less than 250 of those helicopters are in service in India. India has about 100 Airbus helicopters, most of which are H125 and 130. More than 7,200 H125 helicopters are flying around the world.