India, Feb. 17 -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron will virtually inaugurate the H125 light utility helicopter Final Assembly Line (FAL) on February 17, marking a step forward in India-France ties.

The facility, at the Tata-Airbus plant in Karnataka, will assemble the H125 helicopter for the domestic market and serve export demand from neighbouring countries. The project is being positioned as a boost to India's indigenous aerospace manufacturing ambitions and as a symbol of industrial cooperation between New Delhi and Paris.

European aerospace major Airbus has described the Indian FAL as part of its long-term strategy to expand the country's aviation ecosystem. The H125, among the company's highest-sell...