Third Tejas MK1A Production Line Inaugurated At HAL Facility In Nashik

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday (17 October) inaugurated the third production line for the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk1A and the second production line for the Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40 (HTT-40) at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s (HAL) Nashik facility.

He also flagged off the first LCA Mk1A aircraft produced at the new facility, marking a major milestone in India’s indigenous defence manufacturing capabilities.

During the ceremony, the Defence Minister described the new production lines as a symbol of India’s growing self-reliance in defence, stating that the country has transitioned from importing 70 per cent of its military hardware to manufacturing nearly 65 per cent domestically.

He reiterated the government’s goal of achieving 100 per cent domestic production in the future.

Highlighting India’s rapid progress, Singh noted that the annual value of defence production has grown from Rs 46,429 crore in 2014–15 to over Rs 1.5 lakh crore in 2024–25, with exports reaching an all-time high of Rs 25,000 crore.

The government is now targeting Rs 3 lakh crore in production and Rs 50,000 crore in exports by 2029.

Rajnath Singh praised HAL’s pivotal role in advancing indigenous defence technology and lauded its efforts during Operation Sindoor, where the company’s engineers provided round-the-clock operational support to the Indian Air Force.

He cited the successful integration of the BrahMos missile on the Su-30MKI, carried out by HAL Nashik, as an example of India’s capability to deploy domestically developed systems in critical missions.

Calling HAL the “backbone of India’s defence sector,” Singh urged the defence PSU to make its mark in the fields of next-generation aircraft, unmanned systems and civil aviation, and not limit itself to LCA Tejas or HTT-40.

HAL Chairman and Managing Director D K Sunil said the new production lines have created around 1,000 jobs and fostered over 40 local industry partnerships, reinforcing public-private collaboration in defence manufacturing.

He added that Nashik’s production capacity now includes advanced indigenous fighters alongside the Su-30MKI, further enhancing India’s aerospace ecosystem.

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