Mahindra Aerostructures Pvt. Ltd. (MASPL), part of the Mahindra Group, has bagged a major order from Airbus Helicopters to produce and assemble the major fuselage of the H130 helicopter in India. This is a big achievement for Mahindra as it moves from the production of small aircraft parts to more complex aerostructures.
The company states that production would commence as soon as possible and that the initial fuselage will come off the line by March 2027. The finished structures will be delivered to Airbus Helicopters' facilities in Europe the agreement further defines the partner.
“We are delighted to deepen our longstanding partnership with Airbus through this pivotal aerostructures contract. It is an honour for us to build on our proven track record with Airbus, harness our industrial process excellence, and embark on this new initiative. This collaboration highlights our commitment to supporting the Government of India's flagship 'Make in India' programme,” said Anish Shah, Group CEO & MD, Mahindra Group.
The agreement underscores the growing partnership between Mahindra and Airbus. Mahindra already supplies various parts and sub-assemblies for Airbus’ commercial aircraft programmes.
“We have a strategic plan for India and we are implementing it to develop a holistic aerospace ecosystem across all dimensions: assembly, manufacturing, engineering, innovation, digital and training. The H130 fuselage manufacturing contract underscores Airbus’ confidence in the growing industrial excellence of the Indian supply chain, which offers the right mix of competencies and competitiveness. We are glad to extend this bond with India through our latest association with our partner Mahindra Aerostructures," said Rémi Maillard, President & Managing Director, Airbus in India and South Asia.
Airbus regards India as a crucial market and strategic innovation and production hub. Indian-produced components and technologies are found in all Airbus commercial aircraft, with the annual procurement by Airbus from India reaching $1.4 billion. H130 is a highly versatile helicopter optimized for a variety of operations, such as transportation of passengers, tourism, private and business aviation, medical transport, and observation. It seats a pilot and a maximum of seven passengers in its large cabin.