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New Delhi3 February 2026 – Included among the leading companies in the defense sector in India, Adani Defense and Aerospace Today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Leonardo, a world renowned Italian company in the field of Defence, Aerospace and Security. This important partnership will create a fully integrated helicopter manufacturing ecosystem in India. With this, along with meeting the growing military needs of the country, work will also be done rapidly towards making the country self-reliant in helicopter manufacturing.

This step is very important keeping in mind the needs of the Indian Armed Forces. Especially Leonardo’s advanced AW169M and AW109 TrakkerM helicopters will prove to be very helpful in this. This collaboration will provide for phased indigenization, robust maintenance-repair-overhaul (MRO) facilities and comprehensive training for pilots.

Combining Leonardo’s world-class helicopter design and engineering capabilities with Adani Defence’s end-to-end defense and aerospace expertise, this initiative furthers the vision of a self-reliant India. This initiative strengthens national defense preparedness and also creates great potential for further use of civil aviation and integration into international supply chains.

Adani Defense And the coming together of Leonardo has the potential to bring massive economic change to the ecosystem. This will create thousands of high-skilled jobs in engineering, manufacturing, logistics and maintenance services. This will also help in making India a competitive global center of helicopter manufacturing.

Jeet Adani, Director of Adani Defense and Aerospace said, “This partnership with Leonardo is an important step towards a strong and future-ready helicopter ecosystem in India. By combining global excellence with our industrial momentum, we will position India as a global aerospace powerhouse in line with the goals of long-term value creation, high-skilled employment and a self-reliant India.”

Adani Defense and Aerospace CEO Ashish Rajvanshi Said, “With the Indian Armed Forces demanding more than 1,000 helicopters over the coming decade, this partnership realizes our vision of indigenous manufacturing. This will accelerate the pace of indigenization, strengthen supply chains and establish India as a world-class manufacturing hub.”

Gian Piero Cutillo, Managing Director of Leonardo Helicopters said, “We are extremely pleased to partner with Adani to contribute to the vision of strengthening and expanding India’s rotorcraft industry and providing the country with the advanced technology and operational capabilities it needs. We are excited to lead this initiative by leveraging each other’s expertise and delivering best-in-class solutions.”

This strategic partnership redefines India’s aerospace landscape, strengthens self-reliance in the defense sector and establishes the country as a trusted global hub for helicopter manufacturing and sustainment.