Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) completed a major multi-platform handover ceremony in Bengaluru, delivering indigenous aerospace platforms to the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Pawan Hans Limited. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu attended the event.
HAL handed over LCA Tejas Final Operational Clearance (FOC) twin-seat trainer aircraft and HTT-40 Basic Trainer Aircraft to the Indian Air Force. The company also delivered four Dhruv Next Generation (NG) helicopters to Pawan Hans.
The Tejas twin-seat aircraft will support the training of fighter pilots while retaining the capabilities of the operational aircraft. The latest delivery also completes the twin-seat component of the earlier Tejas FOC contract, under which four twin-seat aircraft were ordered.
The HTT-40 is an indigenous basic trainer aircraft developed by HAL for the initial stages of military pilot training. It is designed for activities including aircraft handling, aerobatics, navigation, instrument flying and formation flying. The latest handover marks the beginning of deliveries under the Indian Air Force’s contract for 70 HTT-40 aircraft.
The ceremony also marked the delivery of four Dhruv NG helicopters to Pawan Hans. The civil-certified version of HAL’s Advanced Light Helicopter Dhruv is designed for civilian operations and can support roles such as passenger transport, utility services, air ambulance operations, offshore activities and disaster response.
The event brought together three Indian-developed platforms serving different aviation requirements, from basic pilot training and fighter training to civil helicopter operations.
The Ministry of Defence has highlighted such indigenous platforms as part of India’s efforts to strengthen domestic aerospace manufacturing and reduce dependence on foreign sources. The handover also demonstrates HAL’s role in producing aircraft and helicopters for both military and civil applications.
The Bengaluru ceremony represents another milestone for India’s indigenous aerospace sector, with Tejas, HTT-40 and Dhruv NG expanding the use of domestically developed aviation platforms across defence and civil aviation.
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