Adani Group and Italian aerospace major Leonardo on Tuesday announced a strategic partnership to establish an integrated helicopter manufacturing ecosystem in India, a move expected to give a major push to the ‘Make in India’ initiative and strengthen the country’s self-reliance.
The proposed manufacturing ecosystem will focus on meeting military requirements while boosting India’s indigenous helicopter production capabilities.
Adani Defence & Aerospace and Leonardo signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the partnership at an event held in the national capital on Tuesday.
The collaboration will cater to the Indian Armed Forces’ requirements, with a particular focus on Leonardo’s advanced AW169M and AW109 TrekkerM helicopters.
“The collaboration will deliver phased indigenization, robust maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) capabilities, and comprehensive pilot training,” a release said.
India currently has a low helicopter penetration density of fewer than 250 helicopters relative to its population, and the country is estimated to require around 100 helicopters annually over the next decade.
Adani Defence & Aerospace Director Jeet Adani said the partnership was aimed at laying the foundation for a comprehensive aviation ecosystem that serves the nation’s civil and defence needs.
“The collaboration with Leonardo is driven not just by shared expertise but also by a shared sense of purpose. Together, we will build an ecosystem on Indian soil that brings manufacturing, assembly, training, and world-class support into one cohesive whole,” Jeet Adani said.
Adani Defence and Aerospace CEO Ashish Rajvanshi said that with the Indian Armed Forces projecting a demand for more than 1,000 helicopters over the next 10 years, the partnership helps realise the vision of sovereign manufacturing.
Leonardo is a key global player in the aerospace, defence, and security sectors. Leonardo Helicopters Managing Director Gian Piero Cutillo said India represents a large market and noted that the country’s armed forces have a growing requirement for helicopters.
The announcement comes just a week after Adani Defence and Aerospace and Brazilian aerospace major Embraer unveiled a strategic collaboration aimed at setting up a regional aircraft manufacturing facility in India.
Meanwhile as per reports, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), long known as India’s premier defence aerospace company, is now actively expanding into the civil aviation sector, including civil helicopter production.
HAL is developing and certifying the Dhruv New Generation (NG) helicopter for commercial use, marking a strategic move to diversify beyond military contracts and increase self‑reliance in civil aircraft manufacturing.
The aircraft has completed key flight milestones and is being positioned for civilian markets, with partnerships such as a supply deal with Pawan Hans for ten Dhruv NG helicopters.
HAL’s Chairman has said the company aims to grow civil aviation’s share of its revenue significantly over the next decade, with civil helicopters playing an important role alongside regional jets and light transport aircraft in that expansion.