EU and India deepen cooperation through EASA-DGCA production alignment

A European regulatory arrangement supports helicopter assembly in India, strengthening safety standards and industrial alignment for both regions.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) have agreed on a Working Arrangement for industrial production, marking a key step in aviation cooperation between the European Union and India.

The arrangement supports industrial cooperation between the EU and India and supports ‘Make in India’ production aligned with EU standards. This includes the assembly of Airbus Helicopters H125/AS350 aircraft in Karnataka, India.

The outcome follows the EU-India Summit in January 2026, where civil aviation safety was identified as a key focus. Following the Strategic Joint Agenda, both sides are working at scale and speed to support shared priorities and maintain high safety standards.

The arrangement was signed on 23 March 2026 ahead of a workshop held from 24–26 March in New Delhi under the EU–South Asia Aviation Partnership Project. The event brought together aviation authorities, airlines and industry representatives from across the region.

The activity was organised by EASA in cooperation with DGCA and supported by ATR. It focused on strengthening practical collaboration and sharing operational experience across the sector.

Discussions also covered day-to-day flight operations and regional challenges, highlighting the value of continued dialogue between regulators, operators and industry to improve safety and performance.

Both initiatives reflect the European Union’s commitment to working with India and South Asian partners to support regulatory cooperation, aviation safety and sustainable sector development.