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Adani Group and Italian aerospace major Leonardo are teaming up to build an integrated helicopter manufacturing ecosystem in India.
Leonardo is an Italian aerospace and defence company that builds helicopters, aircraft, defence electronics, and security systems.
The deets: the partnership will serve the Indian Armed Forces. The focus will be on Leonardo’s AW169M and AW109 TrekkerM helicopters, with local manufacturing and supply chains.
These are multi-role military helicopters from Leonardo, built for transport, surveillance, medical evacuation, and high-altitude operations.
Why it matters: India needs these platforms urgently due to low helicopter density, tough terrain across borders and islands, and projected demand for 1,000+ helicopters over the next decade. Leonardo stands out for its willingness to localise manufacturing and transfer know-how with India.
India’s helicopter leasing demand is set to grow at the rate of 12.1% through 2032. This partnership will help in local manufacturing which will plug a fast-growing gap as India scales capacity and cuts import dependence.
