The first-ever private sector helicopter manufacturing factory is being set up jointly by Tata Advanced Systems Limited, in partnership with Airbus, at Vemagal near Kolar in Karnataka. The factory, which was inaugurated by the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, is India's first-ever private-sector final assembly line for helicopters.
It is for the first time that a private Indian company will fully assemble and test helicopters on Indian soil.
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The first helicopter from this factory is expected to roll out by early 2027. The plant will build around 10 helicopters every year to start with, and will eventually meet a demand of nearly 500 helicopters over the next 20 years. It will also offer repair and maintenance services, creating thousands of skilled jobs and encouraging many local suppliers across India.
The factory will assemble the Airbus H125, which had earlier landed on top of Mount Everest, setting the world record for the highest-altitude helicopter landing on Everest.
“The H125 is a single-engine helicopter that carries one pilot and six passengers. It can fly at 250 km/h and cover about 662 km on a single trip, roughly the distance from Bengaluru to Hyderabad. What makes it truly special is its ability to fly well in "hot and high" conditions, meaning extreme heat and very high altitudes, like our Himalayan borders or Rajasthan deserts. Many helicopters struggle in such conditions, but the H125 thrives. It is used for search and rescue, medical emergencies, law enforcement, firefighting, and even tourism. It is extremely versatile, extremely reliable,” explained defence and space expert Girish Linganna.
Alongside the civilian version, Vemagal will also produce the H125M, the military variant of the helicopter. This version is stronger, tougher, and far more dangerous in the right hands. It can be fitted with rockets, missiles, and gunpods depending on the mission. It can fly extremely low to the ground, called "nap-of-the-earth" flying to avoid enemy radar detection.
“The H125M also uses special paint and materials that reduce its visibility to enemy sensors. It has a modern digital cockpit and can carry advanced cameras for surveillance and target tracking. For our soldiers guarding India's northern borders in freezing high-altitude terrain, this helicopter is perfectly suited,” added Linganna.
The Airbus H125 first flew in 1974, entering service in 1975 as a versatile light utility helicopter. Its military variant, the H125M, was introduced in 1990 for armed scout, light attack, and training roles.
Over 400 military H125/H125M variants serve about 44 armed forces in 35 plus countries. Major users include France, Brazil (Air Force and Navy), Mexico, Qatar, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.
