Airbus Advances ‘Make in India’ Drive, Awards H125 Fuselages to Mahindra
- Airbus awards Mahindra H125 fuselage contract in Bengaluru, with deliveries starting 2027.
- The deal deepens Airbus’s $1.4B India sourcing and complements the earlier H130 partnership.
- India’s role expands with H125 FAL, powering civil, para-public, and defence rotorcraft needs.
Airbus Helicopters has awarded a contract to Mahindra Aerostructures Pvt. Ltd. (MASPL), as an additional source, to manufacture the main fuselage of the best-selling H125 helicopter, significantly deepening the partnership between the two companies and boosting ‘Make in India’ in rotorcraft manufacturing.
The contract was announced in the presence of Wouter van Wersch, Executive Vice President International, Airbus, Jürgen Westermeier, President and Managing Director of Airbus in India and South Asia, and Arvind Mehra, Managing Director and CEO of MASPL.
According to the contract, industrialisation will begin immediately at the MASPL facility in Bengaluru, with the first fuselage delivery targeted for 2027. The work package follows the awarding of the H130 helicopter’s fuselage manufacturing to MASPL in April 2025.
“This new contract with Mahindra Aerostructures is a testament to the strong capabilities of our partners in India and our shared vision for the country’s aerospace sector,” said Jürgen Westermeier, President and MD of Airbus in India and South Asia. “This significant H125 work package, along with our existing H130 partnership and the under-construction H125 FAL, demonstrates our confidence in India as a critical hub for global aerospace manufacturing. We are not just building helicopters in India; we are building an entire ecosystem that will contribute to developing and maturing the rotorcraft market in India.”
Dr. Anish Shah, Group CEO and MD, Mahindra Group, said:
“We are delighted to partner with Airbus on its ‘Make in India’ plans. This contract strengthens our long-term partnership and reflects Mahindra Group and Airbus’ role in building India’s aerospace ecosystem. At Mahindra, we are committed to supporting the Government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative and look forward to deepening our collaboration with Airbus.”
The production contracts for the H125 and H130 aerostructures to MASPL firmly integrate India into Airbus Helicopters’ global value chain, strengthening the country’s ‘Make in India’ initiative. Airbus currently procures components and services worth $1.4 billion annually from India, a figure that highlights not only the volume but also the increasing value and complexity of the work being performed.
The decision to award this contract to MASPL complements Airbus’s wider strategy in India, which includes the establishment of two Final Assembly Lines for the H125 helicopter as well as the C295 military aircraft, both with the Tata Advanced Systems Limited. Together, these initiatives aim to build a comprehensive, end-to-end aerospace ecosystem that includes local design, manufacturing, assembly, maintenance and training.
The H125 FAL is positioned to catalyse the growth of new civil market segments such as Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS), Disaster Management, Law Enforcement and Aerial Work – para-public services that are crucial for building a modern, confident India.
With its proven capabilities, the ‘Made in India’ H125 will also cater to the requirements of the Indian armed forces. The H125 is the world’s best-selling single-engine helicopter, well-known for its performance, versatility, and cost-efficiency. It is widely used in a variety of roles, including passenger transport, aerial work, tourism, law enforcement, medical evacuation, and rescue missions. Its wide, unobstructed cabin and cutting-edge avionics systems make it highly adaptable and reliable for operations in the most demanding environments.
