Leonardo and India's Adani Defence & Aerospace have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish an integrated system for helicopter production in India, according to a joint statement.

The agreement specifically covers the AW169M and AW109 TrekkerM models, and the initiative could also be extended to include civil aviation.

According to Adani, the Indian Armed Forces estimate a need for more than 1,000 helicopters over the next decade.

(Stefano Bernabei, editing by Francesca Piscioneri)