Mahindra Aerostructures will manufacture the fuselage for Airbus’s single-engine H130 helicopters, with the first unit slated for delivery by March 2027—a significant milestone for India’s indigenous aerospace manufacturing sector.
The H130, an eight-seater helicopter, is widely used across various sectors including transport, tourism, emergency medical services, surveillance, and private aviation.
While the financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed, the contract—announced in New Delhi on Wednesday—includes the production of 60 to 70 fuselage units per year. Manufacturing will take place at Mahindra Aerostructures’ facility in Kolar district, Karnataka. The company, a part of the Mahindra & Mahindra Group, will handle the main fuselage assembly before shipping the components to Airbus Helicopters’ facilities in Europe.
Remi Maillard, President of Airbus India and Managing Director of the South Asia Region, stated that Airbus is committed to long-term investments in India. The company aims to increase its sourcing from India to $2 billion by 2030, up from $1.4 billion in 2024, which already reflects growth from $1 billion in 2023 and $500 million in 2019.
At the contract signing event, Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu emphasized that India is poised to become a global hub for aviation.
