New Delhi: India and France will jointly build the world’s first helicopter capable of flying to Mount Everest, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday.At a joint press conference with French President Macron, Prime Minister Modi Said the partnership between New Delhi and Paris “knows no boundaries” and “can stretch from the deep sea to the highest mountains”.Prime Minister Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron virtually inaugurated the Airbus H125 helicopter production and assembly line in Vimaggarh, Karnataka.“The launch of the assembly of his helicopter in India is another clear example of this relationship. We are proud that India and France will build a helicopter capable of flying to Mount Everest. We will also export this helicopter. The India-France partnership knows no borders. It can reach from the deep sea to the highest mountains,” Prime Minister Modi said in Mumbai.Prime Minister Modi held comprehensive talks with Macron ahead of a media briefing in the coastal city, with the leaders focusing on strengthening cooperation in trade, defence, energy and key technologies.Popular quotes from Prime Minister Modi:
- “I am delighted to welcome my dear friend President Macron to Mumbai. Last year, he invited me to attend the Action Council Summit on Artificial Intelligence in France. At that time we visited Marseille, the largest port in France and the main gateway to France and Europe as a whole.”
- “Marseille is the city where our Indian soldiers set foot in Europe during the First World War. Their heroic deeds are still remembered in many parts of Europe as the same city where freedom fighter Veer Savarkar jumped into the sea to escape the British. His action symbolized his unwavering determination for India’s independence.”
- “Last year I had the opportunity to remember and pay tribute to him in Marseille. This time, when President Macron comes to India for the AI ​​Impact Summit, we are lucky to welcome him in Mumbai, the gateway to India.”
- “The strategic partnership between our two countries is one of the oldest, and with the help of President Macron, we have deepened this relationship and given it more vitality in recent years.”
- “Based on this trust and vision, we are elevating our relationship into a special global strategic partnership. This partnership is more than just strategic. In this era of unpredictable global dynamics, this partnership will bring stability and progress to the world.”
- “2026 marks a major turning point in India’s relationship with Europe. Just a few days ago, India and the European Union signed the largest and most ambitious free trade agreement in history. This landmark agreement will create unprecedented momentum not only for India-EU relations, but also between India and France.”
- “To further encourage mutual investment, we are signing a double taxation elimination agreement to ensure that our citizens and businesses are not double taxed. These initiatives will promote bilateral trade, investment and people flows. Together they form a roadmap for our shared prosperity.
Macron praised the “significant acceleration” of ties with India at a news conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mumbai.The French president said the shift was in response to the “changing international order,” adding that neither country wanted to be “subjected to any form of hegemony” or “clash of minorities.”The significance of H125 light utility helicopter The H125 light utility helicopter assembly line in Vimagal is expected to strengthen India’s local aerospace manufacturing capabilities and further deepen Indo-French defense and industrial cooperation.The plant is designed to produce H125 helicopters for civilian and quasi-public operations, including emergency medical services, law enforcement and passenger transport.The first “Made in India” H125 is expected to be delivered in early 2027. The helicopter will also be exported to South Asia.Emmanuel Macron on three-day visitMacron arrived in Mumbai earlier in the day for a three-day visit, during which he is scheduled to attend the Artificial Intelligence Impact Summit in New Delhi and meet Modi.The visit comes soon after India approved a pending proposal to procure 114 Rafale fighter jets from France under an inter-governmental framework, a deal billed as one of the world’s largest military procurement programs in recent years.Sources told the Press Trust of India news agency that deepening defense cooperation and expanding engagement in critical and emerging technologies are among the top priorities guiding the next phase of the bilateral relationship.
