Adani Partners Leonardo, Embraer to Build India’s Next Aerospace Manufacturing Hub

India’s defence manufacturing ambitions received a major push as Adani Defence & Aerospace and Italian aerospace major Leonardo formalised a strategic partnership to establish a comprehensive helicopter manufacturing ecosystem in India . However, while the industrial scope of the project has been outlined, investment figures from either company have not yet been publicly disclosed .

The collaboration, announced through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), is designed to go far beyond simple assembly. Plans include local manufacturing, final assembly lines, Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities, pilot training infrastructure, and long-term lifecycle support all to be developed within India. The ecosystem will initially focus on Leonardo’s AW169M and AW109 TrekkerM helicopter platforms, aimed at meeting future operational needs of the Indian Armed Forces .

The agreement is a corporate-to-corporate partnership , not a government-to-government (G2G) defence procurement deal. While aligned with India’s Make in India and self-reliance policies, it remains an industrial collaboration between two companies , which could later support defence tenders depending on requirements and approvals.

Despite the scale of the plan, neither Adani Defence & Aerospace nor Leonardo has announced how much capital each side will invest . Current communications emphasise strategic intent, localisation, and capability development rather than financial commitments. Industry experts note that such figures often emerge later, after site selection, feasibility studies, and regulatory clearances are completed.

India’s armed forces are projected to require over 1,000 helicopters in the coming decade , while the country’s helicopter penetration remains comparatively low. Localising production could reduce imports, build technical skills, and strengthen sovereign aerospace capabilities. The move also fits into the broader expansion strategy of the Adani Group , which has been growing its aviation footprint, including a separate collaboration with Brazil’s Embraer for aircraft manufacturing.

For now, the partnership signals a structural step toward building a domestic helicopter industry , with financial and site details expected in later stages as the project progresses.