HAL’s future doesn’t lie in privatisation. It is already corporatised and functions as a listed public limited company. The real need is redefinition, not disinvestment. HAL must evolve from being the sole custodian of India’s aerospace ambitions to a merit-based competitor within a broader, innovation-driven ecosystem. If HAL adapts to this new role, it can still lead with strength. If it resists reform, it risks becoming a giant with shrinking relevance in a rapidly transforming world. HAL is of strategic importance to India, and precisely for that reason, it must be made strong, accountable, and adaptive, not protected as a monopoly. HAL should serve as a competitive pillar in a plural, dynamic aerospace landscape, not the only pillar. India’s aerospace future demands resilience through diversity, not centralisation through legacy.
HAL’s future doesn’t lie in privatisation. It is already corporatised and functions as a listed public limited company. The real need is redefinition, not disinvestment. HAL must evolve from being the sole custodian of India’s aerospace ambitions to a merit-based competitor within a broader, innovation-driven ecosystem. If HAL adapts to this new role, it can still lead with strength. If it resists reform, it risks becoming a giant with shrinking relevance in a rapidly transforming world. HAL is of strategic importance to India, and precisely for that reason, it must be made strong, accountable, and adaptive, not protected as a monopoly. HAL should serve as a competitive pillar in a plural, dynamic aerospace landscape, not the only pillar. India’s aerospace future demands resilience through diversity, not centralisation through legacy.
HAL is the weakest link of the Indian defence industry.
The sooner it is privatized, the better off our armed forces will be.