In recent developments, Airbus has partnered with Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) to start its second manufacturing unit in India. Their first manufacturing unit will develop the C295 transport plane, and the second one will manufacture the H125, each of which will start with the price of INR 30 crores. According to The Economic Times, this new assembly will be the fourth in the world to produce single-engine helicopters after factories in France, Brazil, and the US.
Olivier Michalon, executive vice president of global business at Airbus Helicopters, told reporters in the French city (location of the helicopter’s first assembly line), “The FAL (final assembly line) in India will not only make us competitive in terms of lead time, delivery time, it will also help us address the growth of the Indian market and possibly the demand from neighbouring nations,” Further, He conveyed that he expects the model to be as successful in India as the Airbus A320 is with the country’s airlines, mentioning “H125 is our A320.”
For establishing its second assembly line, the company has selected 8 locations in India, and their names are not out yet. However, according to the company, they will be manufacturing 10 helicopters a year which are likely to debut by early 2026. They expect to sell approximately 500 units of H125 in the Indian subcontinent (excluding Pakistan) within the next 20 years.
Also read, Airbus Doubles Investment Citing India’s Aviation Needs
According to the vice president, Olivier Michalon “The final assessment of the locations is on. We will soon make the announcement on where the H125 will be built in India. The factors that will guide the decision include how attractive the location is to our employees, its suitability for industrial activity, and the logistics ecosystem.“
It remains to be seen how much employment this new plant will generate for the Indian population and which city will reap the economic benefits of the plant. For more such related news updates follow us on social media platforms and stay tuned to us.
