Tata-Airbus To Build India’s First Private Helicopter Plant

29 May 2025 CW Team

In a landmark step for India’s defence and aerospace sector, Tata Group and Airbus will establish the country’s first privately led helicopter assembly line in Karnataka. The facility will produce Airbus’s H125 civil helicopters and marks a significant milestone in Make in India efforts for indigenous manufacturing in aviation.

This initiative follows the companies’ earlier collaboration on the C-295 military aircraft project and signals deepening ties between India’s largest conglomerate and the European aerospace major. The H125, known for its versatility across missions from passenger transport to emergency medical services, will be produced entirely in India—covering structural assembly, avionics, flight testing, and delivery.

The Karnataka government has allocated land in Gummanahalli and Varavu Kaval in Tumakuru district for the project. The state cabinet has also approved infrastructure support including roads, water, and electricity for the upcoming plant.

This new facility positions India as a manufacturing hub for helicopters in Asia and is expected to cater to both domestic and export markets. It is a major boost to the country's ambitions to become self-reliant in aerospace manufacturing, generate employment, and attract global investments in defence production.

Technology

29 Jul 2026

AI-Enabled Workflows Lift Profitability and Productivity

Organisations modernising frontline workflows with artificial intelligence, automation and real-time data are reporting stronger financial performance, higher productivity and improved employee engagement, according to a global study by Zebra Technologies and Oxford Economics.The research covered 1,000 senior leaders across retail, manufacturing, transportation and logistics in the US, Mexico, the UK, Germany, India, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.In transportation and logistics, 54 per cent of companies that improved picking and packing operations reported faster operational performance, wh..

India Leads Global AI Readiness but Implementation Lags

Indian companies lead global averages across all eight artificial intelligence readiness indicators tracked by JLL, but only 19 per cent have started making changes to their workplaces, according to the JLL 2026 Future of Work Survey.The study found that 77 per cent of Indian business leaders expect AI to change their office requirements, creating a 58-percentage-point gap between awareness and implementation. The survey covered more than 2,200 CEOs, CFOs and real estate leaders across 21 countries during the first quarter of 2026.Despite concerns over automation, 58 per cent of Indian leaders..

Three WOLFF Cranes Build Riyadh Cable-Stayed Bridges

Three WOLFF 180 B luffing jib cranes are supporting the construction of two cable-stayed bridges alongside the existing Wadi Laban Bridge in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The project is being developed for the Royal Commission for Riyadh City and executed by the ICRC joint venture comprising IC Ictas and Al Rashid Trading & Contracting Company.The cranes are handling lifting operations including formwork, reinforcement, concrete placement, work platforms, surveying equipment and other construction materials. Each crane is fitted with a 40 m jib, reaches a hook height of 157 m and offers a maximum ..