India, France elevate ties to ‘spl global strategic partnership’
To manufacture H125 helicopter in India; Everest-capable variant planned
image for illustrative purpose
New Delhi/Mumbai: India and France on Tuesday elevated their ties to a “special global strategic partnership” with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron vowing to significantly ramp up bilateral cooperation in areas of defence, trade and technology in the face of increasing geopolitical upheavals.
The two leaders also virtually inaugurated an assembly line in Karnataka’s Vemagal to build Airbus H125 helicopters. Modi hosted Macron for wide-ranging talks in Mumbai, hours after the French leader landed in the city on a three-day India visit.
“India and France share a very special relationship. France is one of India’s oldest strategic partners. And together with President Macron, we have given this strategic partnership unprecedented depth and energy,” the prime minister said in his media statement.
“On the basis of this same trust and shared vision, today we are establishing our relationship as a ‘Special Global Strategic Partnership,” he said.
Modi also made a reference to the H-125 helicopter assembly line. This is India’s first private-sector helicopter manufacturing facility, and will initially produce 10 H125 helicopters annually, serving both domestic needs and export markets in neighbouring countries.
The plant will initially produce 10 H125 helicopters per year, with the potential to scale up to meet a projected demand of 500 units over the next 20 years. The first “Made in India” H125 is expected to take off from this facility by early 2027.
The H125 is a world-renowned single-engine helicopter famous for its “hot and high” performance (it holds the record for landing on Mt. Everest). It will be used for civil missions, emergency services, and tourism. Plans are already in motion to produce the H125M (the military version) at this same site to support the Indian Armed Forces.
Out of the 56 aircraft ordered by the IAF, 16 have already been delivered from Spain. The remaining 40 are being manufactured in India. The project has already onboarded 37 Indian suppliers, with roughly 70 per cent of components being sourced domestically.
“The year 2026 is a turning point in the relations between India and Europe. Just a few days ago, we signed the largest and most ambitious Free Trade Agreement in India’s history with the European Union,” he said. The prime minister described India-France relationship as a force for global stability. “The world is passing through a phase of uncertainty today. In such an environment, the India-France partnership is a force for global stability,” he said.
