Paris Airshow: Max Aerospace unveils Indian helicopter production venture

“As India accelerates its journey towards self-reliance in aerospace and defence, our Nagpur facility will become a critical hub for the indigenous design, manufacturing, and maintenance of helicopters tailored for both civilian and defence applications,” Bharat Malkani, the chairman of Max Aerospace, told Aviation Week at Le Bourget.

Max Aerospace, formed in 1994, is a Mumbai-based aviation engineering firm that specialises in the modification and maintenance of military aircraft.

“This deal has been in the making for a few years, and we’ve been working with our preferred OEM partner for some time,” said Malkani. The helicopter manufacturer and the model to be built in India will be announced in around a month, he noted.

“For us to be able to successfully build helicopters in India we’ve been in deep discussions with all stakeholders to develop an ecosystem that works,” said Malkani. “Our state government in Maharashtra has been extremely supportive and forward thinking to partner with us.”

The government of Maharashtra will be a stakeholder in the joint venture firm created to produce the helicopters. The international helicopter manufacturer will be a technology partner with Max Aerospace and potentially part of the joint venture company, noted Malkani.

The plan calls for construction of the factory to begin by the end of 2026 pending the necessary regulatory approvals with the first helicopters rolling off the line 18 months later, he explained.

The production plan calls for 10-12 helicopters to be manufactured annually in the first phase of the venture’s operation with 50% of the aircraft, excluding the engine, manufactured in India, said Malkani.

“We are confident we will achieve more than 50% of local content in the aircraft from day one based on discussions with the various partners that we know will come on board with Max,” he noted. “There is a strong aviation ecosystem around the Nagpur region to draw upon.”

“The real challenge is the engine, which will have to be delivered in the first phase from outside India. We have not had detailed discussions with the engine companies yet, but our belief is there is a business case to set up an engine factory in India. It will probably be the last part of the puzzle.”

Malkani has long harboured an ambition for Max Aerospace to enter the aircraft production game: “Max was founded with the intention one day of manufacturing aircraft. This is not just a project, it is a national commitment, and it is time India as a sovereign nation had indigenous aircraft production.”

The market demand for civil and military helicopters in India is expected to grow significantly in the coming two decades.

Under its “Make in India” initiative, the Indian government has for several years been encouraging overseas aerospace players to establish manufacturing operations in the country.

At present, stated-owned Hindustan Aeronautics is India’s predominant helicopter manufacturer, producing several models mainly for the Indian military.

Tata Boeing Aerospace Limited (TBAL), a J-V between India’s Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) and Boeing, manufactures the fuselage for the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter at its factory in Hyderabad.

In January 2024, Airbus Helicopters unveiled a partnership with Tata Advanced Systems Ltd to establish a production line for its H125 model. Bangalore was chosen as the site for the final assembly line in March this year.