Adani arm ties up with Italian firm to build copters in India

NEW DELHI: Just days after the Indo-EU trade and defence deal, Italian defence major Leonardo, which offers helicopter products and services globally, and Adani Defence and Aerospace on Tuesday announced a strategic partnership by signing an MoU to establish an integrated helicopter manufacturing ecosystem in India.

The manufacturing ecosystem will seek to address the demands of Indian armed forces as well as the civilian sector, boosting India’s self-reliance in helicopter production.




“The collaboration will deliver phased indigenisation, robust maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) capabilities and comprehensive pilot training,” a release said.

The MoU was signed in the presence of defence secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and A Anbarasu, DG (acquisition) in the department of defence (MoD), who called the collaboration a “strategic marriage”. It comes just a week after the Adani company and Brazilian aerospace major Embraer announced a strategic collaboration for setting up a fixed-wing aircraft manufacturing facility in India.

Defence secretary Singh said, “This MoU is an important event. It marks the coming together of two respected industrial entities”. But on being Atmanirbhar in defence technology, he said, “You can probably never have 100% self-reliance; what you can do is to take steps towards doing more and more of ‘Make in India’ and ensure that the import dependence is minimised.”

Italian ambassador Antonio Enrico Bartoli said, “Two global champions of the defence industry are opening a new chapter today.... In the field of defence, India is a reliable and long-term partner of Italy. In the helicopter sector, Leonardo is building cutting-edge technology. We hope for more Indian investment in Italy.”

Adani Defence & Aerospace director Jeet Adani, Gautam Adani’s son, said, “This alliance with Leonardo is a pivotal stride towards a resilient, future-proof helicopter ecosystem in India. Merging global excellence with our industrial momentum, we will drive enduring value, high-skill employment and alignment with Aatmanirbhar Bharat to position India as a global aerospace powerhouse.”

Company CEO Ashish Rajvanshi said that with the Indian armed forces projecting demand for over 1,000 helicopters in the coming decade, the partnership will help realise the vision of sovereign manufacturing.

Leonardo (formerly AgustaWestland) helicopters MD Gian Piero Cutillo said India is a big market and that the country's armed forces have a growing requirement for helicopters.

Across Army, IAF, Navy and Coast Guard, there are requirements for helicopters with diverse and advanced capabilities — 300+ light utility helicopters, 300+ medium lift helicopters, 100+ intermediate helicopters and 90+ maritime multi-role helicopters.