From fighters to copters, how R&D powers HAL's Himalayan-altitude flight

In the first of a two-part series on India's indigenous aerospace industry, Business Standard traces HAL's pioneering research and development

- AJAI SHUKLA

Despite the unsettled global geopolitical climate, Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) grew by 11 per cent during the year ending March 31, 2024, recording its highest-ever turnover of ₹29,810 crore.

"As of March 31, 2024, the company's order book stands over ₹94,000 crore, with additional major orders expected during 2024-25," said HAL Chairman and Managing Director CB Ananthakrishnan, speaking exclusively to Business Standard in Bengaluru.

In addition to a giant ₹48,000 crore Ministry of Defence (MoD) order for 83 Tejas Mark 1A fighters, HAL's production lines will soon be humming with another MoD order for 97 Tejas Mark 1A fighters, worth an estimated ₹65,000 crore.

HAL's Nashik facility also expects lucrative work from the Indian Air Force (IAF), whose fleet of Sukhoi Su30MKI fighters is due to undergo midlife upgrades. With 272 Sukhoi-30s scheduled to receive a ₹130-140 crore avionics, radar, and mission computer upgrade, HAL calculates this translates into business worth ₹38,000 crore. While the IAF's fighter fleet generates lucrative orders, HAL'S sustained, long-term income will come from the design, development, manufacture, overhaul, and upgrade of a family of helicopters designed for deployment on India's 21,000-foot-high Himalayan frontier with Pakistan and China.