India opens ‘Asia’s largest’ helicopter plant amid anti-China defence push

The factory in Karnataka state can reportedly turn out at least 1,000 aircraft a year, such as India’s new locally made attack helicopters

It comes a week after New Delhi announced a double-digit increase to its defence budget – with an eye on its geopolitical rival to the north

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Advanced light helicopters of the Indian Air Force’s “Sarang” display team perform last month in New Delhi. Photo: AFP

Published: 11:01am, 7 Feb 2023

India has unveiled its largest helicopter factory, which can turn out at least 1,000 aircraft a year, as part of a defence self-reliance push to counter China’s growing assertiveness.

New Delhi also announced a double-digit increase in its annual defence budget last week with an eye on its geopolitical rival, with which it shares a disputed northern border.

India is one of the largest arms importers in the world and, even with its recent push towards local defence production, still relies heavily on hardware from Moscow, its largest and oldest military supplier.

The new helicopter facility fulfils “our government’s pledge to gradually reduce India’s dependence on foreign countries for its defence needs”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said after the inauguration on Monday.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “happy” to see that so many weapons and defence systems were now being made in the country. Photo: AFP

“I am happy that hundreds of different weapons and defence systems – from modern assault rifles to tanks, aircraft carriers, helicopters and transport aircraft – are now being made in India,” he said.