Adani Group and Italian major Leonardo announced a strategic partnership to establish an integrated helicopter manufacturing ecosystem in India. The partnership will target the Indian Armed Forces’ requirements, particularly for Leonardo’s advanced AW169M and AW109 TrekkerM helicopters.
Adani Defence & Aerospace and Leonardo inked a Memorandum of Understanding for the partnership at an event in the national capital. The move will be a significant boost for the ‘Make In India’ efforts and to make the country more self-reliant. The manufacturing ecosystem will look to address military demands and boost India’s self-reliance in helicopter production.
“The collaboration will deliver phased indigenization, robust maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) capabilities, and comprehensive pilot training,”, the company said in a statement.
Capaitalizing opportunity
India has a low helicopter penetration rate of fewer than 250 helicopters per 100,000 people, and the country will need around 100 helicopters annually over the next 10 years.
Adani Defence & Aerospace Director Jeet Adani said it was laying the foundation for an aviation ecosystem that serves the nation across civil and defence needs. “Together, we will build an ecosystem on Indian soil that brings manufacturing, assembly, training, and world-class support into one cohesive whole,” he added.
Adani Defence & Aerospace CEO Ashish Rajvanshi said that with the Indian Armed Forces projecting demand for over 1,000 helicopters in the coming decade, this partnership realises the vision for sovereign manufacturing.
Leonardo Helicopters Managing Director Gian Piero Cutillo said India is a big market and that the country’s armed forces have a growing requirement for helicopters. Leonardo is a key global player in aerospace, defence, and security.
Adani Defence aircraft manufacturing deal
Adani Defence’s latest helicopter manufacturing announcement comes a week after its strategic collaboration with Brazilian major Embraer, which aims to set up a regional aircraft manufacturing facility in India.
Both companies have inked an MoU to explore cooperation in aircraft manufacturing, supply chains, and pilot training.