News Brief
Defence Update: HAL To Outsource Rs 25,000 Crore Work To Private Sector In Manufacturing Of 156 Light Combat Helicopters
A HAL light utility helicopter. (Picture via X, formerly Twitter)
Following the landmark approval of a Rs 62,500 crore deal for 156 Light Combat Helicopters (LCHs) by the Cabinet Committee on Security, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is set to outsource approximately Rs 25,000 crore worth of work to private sector companies, ANI reported.
The contract with the Ministry of Defence was signed on the same day as the clearance, marking a major step towards strengthening indigenous defence manufacturing.
“We are going to follow the Light Combat Aircraft manufacturing model in this programme as well. The HAL would soon be issuing tenders for involving the private sector in a big way in the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) project,” defence officials were quoted as saying by ANI.
Officials highlighted that nearly 40 per cent of the project’s workload will be shared with private firms, which will play a crucial role in the production of different helicopter components, similar to the LCA model.
The LCHs will be produced at HAL’s facilities in Bengaluru and Tumkur, Karnataka. The company is actively expanding its collaboration with private industry in pursuit of greater self-reliance and minimised foreign dependency across all defence platforms.
Recently, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh witnessed the delivery of the first rear fuselage for the LCA Mk1A, manufactured by Alpha Tocol Engineering Services Private Limited, a significant milestone in the participation of private players in India’s aerospace ecosystem.
HAL, the country’s largest aerospace firm, currently has an order book exceeding Rs 2 lakh crore, including contracts for 12 Su-30 fighter jets and 83 LCA aircraft — 10 of which are trainer variants. It anticipates future orders worth over Rs 70,000 crore.
