Mahindra Aerostructures bags order from Airbus

Mahindra Aerostructures Pvt. Ltd. (MASPL), a Mahindra Group company, has bagged an order from Airbus Helicopters to manufacture and assemble the main fuselage of its H130 light single-engine helicopter, the company said in a statement on Wednesday.

Airbus Helicopters, a unit of aircraft manufacturer Airbus, did not disclose the value of the order.

Under the agreement, Mahindra will produce the H130’s main fuselage assembly, which will be shipped to Airbus Helicopters’ facilities in Europe. Industrialisation will commence immediately, with the first cabin assembly scheduled for delivery by March 2027.


For Airbus, India is both a major market and a strategic resource hub. Today, every Airbus commercial aircraft has components made in India. The plane maker’s annual procurement of components and services from India stands at $1.4 billion.

“We are delighted to deepen our longstanding partnership with Airbus through this pivotal aerostructures contract,” said Anish Shah, group CEO & MD, Mahindra Group. “As a global leader, Airbus has played a transformative role in nurturing India’s aerospace ecosystem and showcasing it on the world stage. 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.”

Rémi Maillard, president and managing director of Airbus in India and South Asia, said Airbus has a strategic plan for India and it is 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 Maillard.

Mahindra already supplies several parts and sub-assemblies for Airbus’ commercial aircraft programmes.

The latest contract marks a significant milestone for Mahindra as it continues to expand its portfolio of capabilities from parts and sub-assemblies to larger and more complex aerostructures.

The H130 is an intermediate single-engine helicopter designed for passenger transportation, tourism and private and business aviation, as well as medical airlift and surveillance missions. It has a wide, unobstructed cabin which accommodates the pilot and up to seven passengers, providing outstanding visibility through a large wrap-around windscreen and wide windows.

The aerospace sector offers great growth opportunities with OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) as post Covid there has been a huge revival in demand with the major global OEMs sitting on a 10-12-year order book. The industry is unable to ramp up due to the disruptions post Covid, as the supply chain, especially in Europe, is still recovering, Shah had said in an earlier interaction with ET.