Airbus Partners with Mahindra for H130 Helicopter Fuselage Manufacturing

New Delhi, India – Airbus, the aircraft manufacturing giant, has signed a landmark agreement with Mahindra Aerostructures Pvt Ltd, which leads the Mahindra Group’s foray into aerospace manufacturing, for the H130 helicopter fuselage manufacturing. The deal, which marks a significant boost to India’s growing aerospace sector, was announced on April 9, 2025, at a special ceremony chaired by Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, Minister of Civil Aviation of India, in New Delhi.

The event brought together top industry leaders, including Vumlunmang Vualnam, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), Govt of India in the presence of Rémi Maillard, President and Managing Director, Airbus India and South Asia, and Dr Anish Shah, Managing Director and CEO, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.

Citing it as a ‘new benchmark’ for Indian aerospace manufacturing, the Minister of Civil Aviation praised Mahindra Aerostructures for evolving into a trusted global supplier since its inception in 2011. He highlighted that today, Airbus commercial aircraft and helicopters carry critical technologies and parts designed, made, and maintained in India, which is a testament to the nation’s rising capabilities.

Through the H130 contract, India will obtain advanced technology and skilled jobs together with increased manufacturing strength that aligns perfectly with the ‘Make in India’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ missions of the Government. The Minister also projected that India is poised to rank as a top global civil aviation market by expecting over 2,200 aircraft to join the fleet throughout the next two decades and anticipating 630 million annual passengers by 2030.

The agreement follows a February 2025 meeting on furthering aircraft component manufacturing in India, which was chaired by the Minister in the presence of key senior officials and industry leaders. It also complements further developments like the C295 military aircraft line and the forthcoming H125 helicopter assembly line, further cementing India’s position on the global aviation map.

Image Source: PBI