9FEBRUARY 2026ADANI GROUP AND LEONARDO SIGN DEAL FOR HELICOPTER PRODUCTIONMagellan Aerospace today announced the groundbreaking of a major expansion at its manufacturing facility in Tumkur, Karnataka, reinforcing its long-term commitment to India's fast-growing aerospace and defense manufacturing sector. The relocation gives the firm greater industrial power in the region and helps it to grow internationally.Top leaders of Magellan Aerospace, the core operations teams and local stakeholders were present at the groundbreaking ceremony. The expansion is expected to increase the capacity of production, operational efficiency and the capacity of the company to serve the local and international aerospace clients.Adani Group and Italian major Leonardo on Tuesday announced a strategic partnership to establish an integrated helicopter manufacturing ecosystem in India. The relocation will enhance the mission of Make in India and enhance Indian drive towards self-sufficiency in defense aviation.Adani Defense and Aerospace and Leonardo signed a Memorandum of Understanding in New Delhi with an aim of jointly handling the increasing military helicopters The Tumkur plant is one of the most important components of Magellan regional business, as it provides precision manufacturing and engineering services of major aerospace programs. As the site is expanded, new floor space will be provided to accommodate the latest machining, fabrication, and assembly, and new infrastructure to enable next-generation aerospace production. The project is also projected to generate new employment opportunities and assist in the building of specialized technical skills within the location.Karnataka remains the pride of place in India as one of the most powerful aerospace centers with a well-established industrial foundation, talent, and manufacturing policies. Tumkur is also close to the aerospace hub in Bengaluru, and this will be a good place to invest in high-precision manufacturing.The new Magellan Aerospace Tumkur plant will be designed to the international standards of quality, safety, and environmental performance of its operations, with special attention to the efficiency of energy consumption and responsible management of resources. This project will occur in phases with the commissioning expected to continue in the next few months to serve the commercial aviation, space, and defense programmes all over the world. requirements in India. The collaboration will be geared towards production, assembling, educating and maintaining services that will establish an entire aviation ecosystem on Indian soil.The alliance will be mainly based on the Indian Armed Forces, and more specifically, Leonardo advanced AW169M and AW109 TrekkerM helicopters. As per the official announcement, the project will also have phased indigenization, robust maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) and detailed pilot training programs.Adani Defence & Aerospace Director Jeet Adani said the partnership aims to build an aviation ecosystem that serves both civil and defense needs. "Together, we will build an ecosystem on Indian soil that brings manufacturing, assembly, training, and world-class support into one cohesive whole," he said.CEO Ashish Rajvanshi added that with the armed forces projecting demand for over 1,000 helicopters in the coming decade, the partnership supports India's vision of sovereign manufacturing.Leonardo Helicopters Managing Director Gian Piera Cutillo claimed that India is one of the major markets which has fast developing defense needs. The statement comes after Adani Defence has joined forces with Embraer and is highlighting its growing contribution to the aerospace production aspirations in India. MAGELLAN AEROSPACE BEGINS MAJOR KARNATAKA MANUFACTURING EXPANSION
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