Airbus becomes sole bidder for $1 billion Indian Coast Guard contract
It follows the withdrawal of Russian Helicopters from the bidding process
Airbus has become the sole remaining bidder for a US$1 billion helicopter supply contract for the Indian government, following the withdrawal of Russian Helicopters subsidiary Kamov.
No justification for why Kamov chose to pull out of the competition is known at this time.
Tendering for the contract, to supply 14 twin-engine helicopters for use by the Indian Coast Guard, began in June 2021, following which two bids, from Airbus and Kamov, were submitted. Airbus proposed a fleet of H225Ms, while Kamov pitched a set of KA 32A11M aircraft, according to the Economic Times.
Airbus had previously been in negotiations with the Indian Ministry of Defence in 2018 for a similar contract, then worth $300 million, to supply 14 H225M helicopters to the Coast Guard. However, negotiations broke down following a lapse in the procurement process.
The helicopters will be used by the Coast Guard to carry out maritime security and surveillance tasks. The new helicopters will supplement the Coast Guard’s existing fleets, which includes a mixture of HAL Chetak and Dhruv rotorcraft.
Oliver Cuenca
Oliver Cuenca is a Junior Editor at the Voyageur Group. He was previously a News and Features Journalist for the rail magazine IRJ until 2021, and studied MA Magazine Journalism at Cardiff University. His favourite helicopter is the AW169 – the workhorse of the UK air ambulance sector! He also led the creation of Waypoint: The AirMed&Rescue podcast, serving as its Production Editor and co-host.