PM Modi To Visit HAL In Bangalore Tomorrow As Firm Eyes Big Orders

PM Modi’s visit comes at a time when HAL has found itself in the spotlight after Indian Air Force announced plans to buy more fighter jets, light combat helicopters (LCH) “Prachand”, and to upgrade its Sukhoi-30s

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Bengaluru on Saturday and is expected to review the functioning of the state-run plane maker and visit some of its manufacturing facilities, officials aware of the matter said on the eve of the high-profile visit.

The PM is likely to visit the production facility for the TEJAS too, said the officials, asking not to be named.

Modi’s visit comes at a time when HAL has found itself in the spotlight after the Indian Air Force announced plans to buy more fighter jets, and light combat helicopters (LCH) “Prachand” and to upgrade its Sukhoi-30s. These potential contracts are worth billions of dollars.

HAL is also set to begin work on jointly designing and developing helicopter engines with French firm Safran and is negotiating a deal for the joint production of fighter jet engines in the country with US firm GE Aerospace.

HAL is preparing to activate new production lines in Nashik for the TEJAS MK-1A and Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40 (HTT-40) planes to meet IAF’s growing requirements for fighter jets and basic trainers, as previously reported by HT.

The new plant for the MK-1As will enable HAL to advance the deliveries of the 83 such fighters ordered by IAF for Rs.48,000 crore in February 2021 by at least a year. Also, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari announced in October plans to order 97 more TEJAS MK-1As at an estimated cost of ₹67,000 crore.

HAL has the capacity to build 16 TEJAS MK-1As every year in Bengaluru, and the Nashik line will help the firm ramp up production to a total of 24 jets.

The company is also expecting an order for 156 Prachand choppers from the armed forces. It has so far manufactured 15 limited series production (LSP) helicopters, and now, with the fresh order, series production will begin.

The order for upgrading IAF’s Sukhoi-30s is expected to be worth Rs.65,000 crore.

It will involve equipping the fighters with the indigenous Uttam active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, electronic warfare suites, weapon control systems, avionics and new weapons.

HAL also plans to create a new vertical to push exports as it pursues opportunities to sell fighter jets and helicopters to several countries, and the organisational restructuring will be carried out soon.

It has proposed setting up the vertical under a CEO-ranked officer who will report directly to the chairman. It is eyeing exports to countries including Argentina, Nigeria, Egypt and the Philippines, which are interested in the TEJAS MK-1A jets and the advanced light helicopter.