Adani Defence and Aerospace on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding with Italian aerospace giant Leonardo to form a wholly owned helicopter manufacturing ecosystem in India. The alliance should serve to meet the increasing operational needs of the Indian military forces as well as push the Indian nation towards self-sufficiency in defence manufacturing.
The two companies will under the agreement specialize in fulfilling the military needs of AW169M and AW109 TrekkerM helicopters of Leonardo. The alliance will focus on gradual process of indigenisation, establishment of good maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities, and establishment of end to end pilot and crew training facilities in India. The companies claimed that the project would greatly make them less dependent on imports and also stand up strong domestic production capacity.
The MoU was signed with the presence of the Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and Director General (Acquisition) A Anbarasu, which indicated the support of the government to the idea of developing defence manufacturing in India as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat programme.
According to a combined announcement, the companies claimed that the partnership would bring together the international helicopter design and engineering competence of Leonardo and the growing industrial and manufacturing power of Adani Defence and Aerospace. In addition to defence, the ecosystem has the potential of being expanded to the civil aviation platforms and global aerospace supply chains.
This is after Adani Defence and Aerospace entered into a MoU with Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer to produce aircrafts in India an indication of wider push to a robust aerospace ecosystem.
Director of Adani Defence and Aerospace, Jeet Adani, has added that the collaboration with Leonardo is one of the important actions to make the helicopter manufacturing base in India resilient and future-ready, which will provide high-skilled employment prospects and an industrial value that can be appreciated over a long period. Ashish Rajvanshi the CEO remarked that as the Indian armed force is projected to need more than 1,000 helicopters within the upcoming ten years, the partnership would expedite indigenisation and make India a competitive global manufacturing centre.
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