Kolar (Karnataka): Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said the H-125 helicopter program is expected to attract investments exceeding ₹1,000 crore and will create a large number of jobs. He described it as a shining example of a mutually beneficial partnership with friendly countries in high-end manufacturing.
He was addressing the inauguration ceremony of an H-125 helicopter component assembly unit here. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron inaugurated the Airbus H-125 light helicopter component assembly unit at the Tata-Airbus facility in the Vegal Industrial Area in this district via video link from Mumbai.
Rajnath Singh, along with his French counterpart Catherine Vautrin, congratulated Tata Advanced Systems and Airbus Helicopters on the project’s inauguration and recalled their past collaboration. He said, “This project is a shining example of mutually beneficial partnerships with friendly countries in the high-end manufacturing sector.”
He added, “Investments in the H-125 program are expected to exceed ₹1,000 crore and will create direct and indirect employment opportunities for our skilled and hardworking youth.”
Singh pointed out that the H-125, renowned for its exceptional reliability, versatility, and excellent performance in diverse conditions, has proven to be one of the most effective and reliable single-engine helicopters in the world.
The Defense Minister recalled that Tata Advanced Systems and Airbus had previously partnered for the C-295 aircraft project in Vadodara, Gujarat. He described this as a symbol of how Tata in particular, and India in general, can contribute to the vision of a stronger India by collaborating with international OEMs (original equipment manufacturers).
He said that ‘Make in India’ and self-reliance have been the cornerstones of India’s economic policy since 2014. He stated that under this initiative launched by Prime Minister Modi, India is committed to becoming self-reliant in the production of critical technologies and high-end products and equipment, which is being made possible through mutually beneficial partnerships.
Singh explained that the government has also focused on supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, and particularly strengthening the startup ecosystem. Overall, industrial development aims to meet not only domestic demand but also the needs of other countries. Highlighting reforms in the defense sector, Singh said that these measures have increased the private sector’s contribution to the defense industrial system.
He noted that historically, Indian defense production has been primarily public sector-centric due to the heavy capital investment and long lead times required, which has led to a lower contribution from the private sector than expected. However, efforts to increase the private sector’s share through the corporatization of ordnance factories, the establishment of defense industrial corridors, and other initiatives have now led to it accounting for approximately one-quarter of the country’s total defense production.
He said that defense exports have also increased manifold, making India one of the world’s top exporters. Singh explained that this growth has also provided a major boost to micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and ancillary sectors, which now number over 16,000, and that many foreign companies are purchasing components from Indian MSMEs.
He urged companies to deepen partnerships through meaningful technology transfer and provide a platform to meet the security needs of other countries.
Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu, who was present at the event, said that the H125 components assembly unit set up by Tata and Airbus is a defining moment for India’s aerospace sector and a “proud symbol” of growing confidence in India’s high-precision aerospace capabilities.
He described defense and civil aviation as “two strategic pillars of the India-France partnership” and said that this new facility will strengthen the integrated aerospace ecosystem by integrating both civil and defense components. He said that under the vision of ‘Make in India’ and Developed India 2047, India is “not just flying high, but surpassing all boundaries.”
Sukkaran Singh, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director (MD) of Tata Advanced Systems, said that “we will start manufacturing helicopters at this facility without any government or defense order.” He added, “However, we will be ready to supply to the defense forces whenever they want. The first helicopter will fly from this unit by mid-2027.”
