HAL and Safran Finalise Aravalli Engine Contract for India’s Next-Generation Helicopters

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Safran Helicopter Engines have finalised a major contract through their joint venture, SAFHAL Helicopter Engines Pvt. Ltd., to design, develop, manufacture, supply and provide lifecycle support for a new-generation high-power helicopter engine named Aravalli.

The contract, signed on August 26, marks an important step in the India-France aerospace partnership and is aimed at developing a new propulsion capability for India’s future medium-lift military helicopters. The Aravalli engine belongs to the 3,500 to 4,000 shaft horsepower (shp) class and has been selected to power HAL’s upcoming 13-ton Indian Multi-Role Helicopter (IMRH) and its naval variant, the Deck-Based Multi-Role Helicopter (DBMRH).

The agreement was executed by Ajay Kumar Shrivastava, Director of Engineering, Research and Development at HAL, and Olivier Savin, Director of SAFHAL Helicopter Engines and Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Safran Helicopter Engines. HAL Chairman and Managing Director Ravi K and Safran Helicopter Engines CEO Cédric Goubet presided over the signing ceremony.

The Aravalli programme is expected to combine the technical expertise of HAL and Safran in engine design, manufacturing, testing and product support. According to the companies, the programme is intended to deliver a powerplant with strong performance, reliability and maintainability while supporting the development of India’s domestic aerospace industrial ecosystem.

For HAL, the agreement represents a significant development in its efforts to strengthen indigenous aero-engine capabilities. The Aravalli engine is being developed specifically for future Indian rotorcraft, reducing reliance on imported propulsion systems for these platforms and supporting the broader objective of self-reliance in critical defence technologies.

The engine will play a central role in the planned IMRH, a 13-ton class helicopter being developed by HAL for multiple operational requirements. Its naval version, the DBMRH, is intended for operations from Indian Navy warships, giving the Aravalli programme significance for both land-based and maritime helicopter capabilities.

The partnership also represents a new phase in the long-standing relationship between HAL and Safran Helicopter Engines. The two companies have previously collaborated on helicopter propulsion, including the Shakti engine used on several Indian helicopter platforms. The Aravalli programme moves their cooperation into a higher power class and focuses on joint development rather than simply adapting an existing foreign engine.

Safran has described the programme as its first co-development effort for an engine in this power class. The collaboration is therefore expected to deepen industrial and technological cooperation between India and France in the aerospace sector.

The finalisation of the Aravalli contract comes as India continues to place greater emphasis on developing indigenous defence technologies and strengthening domestic manufacturing capabilities. Successful development of the engine could provide a critical propulsion solution for future Indian military helicopters while contributing to a wider domestic ecosystem for aerospace engine design, production and maintenance.

With the contract now finalised, HAL and Safran are set to move ahead with the design and development phase of the Aravalli engine, marking another important milestone in India’s pursuit of advanced and self-reliant aerospace propulsion technology.