Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will invest Rs 335 crore to increase the annual production capacity of AL-31FP aero-engines from 30 to 50 units, strengthening domestic manufacturing support for the Indian Air Force’s Su-30MKI fighter fleet.
The announcement coincided with HAL’s Koraput division achieving a milestone by delivering its 2,000th aero-engine since its establishment.
The capacity expansion will support HAL’s Rs 26,000 crore contract with the Ministry of Defence, signed in September 2024, for the supply of 240 AL-31FP engines to maintain the operational readiness of the Su-30MKI fleet. HAL has already delivered 63 engines, exceeding its initial target of supplying 60 engines by the end of the second year of the contract.
HAL’s Koraput division has played a key role in India’s military engine manufacturing capabilities, producing engines for fighter aircraft including the MiG-21, MiG-27, MiG-29 and Su-30MKI. The facility has also overhauled more than 9,000 engines.
Separately, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced an investment of Rs 218 crore to establish a second production line for Shakti helicopter engines at the Koraput complex. Expected to become operational by 2028-29, the line will have an annual production capacity of up to 100 engines for indigenous helicopters, including the Advanced Light Helicopter (Dhruv) and Light Combat Helicopter (Prachand).
Addressing the event, Singh emphasised the importance of developing indigenous aero-engine technology to achieve self-reliance in aerospace and defence. He also highlighted the need for domestic propulsion capabilities to support India’s proposed fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme.
To address challenges in developing indigenous jet engines, the Defence Minister pointed to a proposed Rs 5,000 crore investment in a high-thrust engine development programme. The initiative envisages establishing India’s first high-thrust engine testing facility and working with Mishra Dhatu Nigam (MIDHANI) to indigenise critical raw materials.
India’s dependence on imported engines remains a challenge for its fighter aircraft programmes. The Tejas Light Combat Aircraft currently relies on General Electric’s F404 engines, while delays in their delivery have affected the production schedule of the Tejas Mk-1A.
Looking ahead, the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) has proposed a Rs 60,000 crore programme to co-develop a 120-kilonewton-class engine with French aerospace company Safran for the AMCA. The proposal is awaiting approval from the Cabinet Committee on Security.