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Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi visited Airbus’ Marignane helicopter facility near Marseille, France, during his four-day official tour, underscoring India’s efforts to enhance defence preparedness and strengthen bilateral cooperation with France.
The Marignane facility produces a range of civil and military helicopters, including the H125, which is set to be assembled in India soon. Airbus Helicopters has shortlisted four locations in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka for the production line in partnership with Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL). The final site selection is underway, with an announcement expected soon.
The partnership between Airbus Helicopters and TASL, announced in January 2024 during talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron, is a major step in India’s Make-in-India campaign. Once operational, the Indian production facility will be the fourth in the world to manufacture H125 helicopters, after France, the US, and Brazil. Airbus has projected a demand for 500 light helicopters of the H125 class in India and South Asia over the next 20 years.
This will be the second Final Assembly Line (FAL) set up in India by Airbus. The company is also working with TASL on a ₹21,935-crore project to equip the Indian Air Force (IAF) with 56 C-295 transport aircraft. The first Made-in-India C-295 is set to roll out from the Vadodara facility in September 2026, with the remaining aircraft delivered by 2031.
During his visit, Gen Dwivedi was also briefed on the French Army’s modernisation programme, known as Scorpion, and the role of the French Land Command’s 3rd Division based in Marseille. He is scheduled to visit the Neuve Chapelle Indian War Memorial on February 27 to pay tribute to Indian soldiers who fought in World War I, followed by a talk at the Ecole de Guerre, the French Joint Staff College.
This visit highlights India’s commitment to leveraging global aerospace innovations to enhance operational capabilities and strengthen defence preparedness, especially in the rotary-wing aviation sector.
Sources By Agencies
