Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has handed over two LCA Tejas Final Operational Clearance (FOC) twin-seater trainers and three HTT-40 basic trainer aircraft to the Indian Air Force (IAF), along with four Dhruv Next Generation (NG) helicopters to Pawan Hans Limited (PHL).
The handover ceremony was held in Bengaluru in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu. The delivery covers both military and civil aviation applications and marks a step in expanding India’s indigenous aerospace manufacturing capabilities.
According to the Defence Ministry, the two LCA FOC twin-seaters are the final aircraft delivered under the FOC contract. The trainers are intended to provide the IAF with an indigenous training continuum for pilots transitioning to frontline fighter operations, while retaining the core systems and combat capabilities of the Tejas platform.
The three HTT-40 aircraft are designed to meet the basic training requirements of the armed forces. Developed and manufactured by HAL, the turboprop trainer features a modern cockpit and avionics suite and supports aerobatics, instrument flying, navigation, night flying and close formation training.
The four Dhruv NG helicopters delivered to Pawan Hans mark HAL’s expansion into the civil and commercial rotary-wing segment. Configured for civil operations, the helicopters feature enhanced systems, modern avionics and a more powerful engine. They are intended for applications including passenger transport, emergency medical services and offshore logistics.
Addressing the ceremony, Singh said India’s aerospace ambitions should extend beyond defence requirements and focus on building an integrated ecosystem serving both military and civil aviation. He highlighted the need to develop indigenous capabilities across aircraft design, avionics, propulsion, composite materials, flight control systems, manufacturing and certification.
Singh also called for greater collaboration between public and private sector companies to develop next-generation indigenous aerospace capabilities. He identified artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, unmanned aerial systems, electronic warfare, cyber technologies and next-generation propulsion as areas requiring indigenous development and integration.
He also highlighted the potential for the HTT-40 to find markets overseas and said the Dhruv NG and LCA FOC trainer demonstrate the growing convergence between India’s civil and military aerospace capabilities.