New Delhi, Mar 18 (PTI) State-run aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) has told a parliamentary panel on defence that currently it has an order for supplying 34 Dhruv, 180 LCA Tejas Mk-1A aircraft and 156 Prachand attack helicopters to the armed forces.
On LCA Mark 1 Alpha (Mk-1A), the HAL further told the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence, “we have five aircraft ready”.
“We have successfully completed the integration of the radar and DWU. We have also successfully completed the ASRAAM testing for air-to-air missiles and the ASTRA beyond visual range missile,” the report quoted HAL’s CMD as telling to the Committee.
“These tests have been successful for the Tejas Mark 1 Alpha (Mk-1A). Furthermore, we have opened the third line at Nasik for the Tejas to enhance capacity to twenty-four. Additionally, we have established a second line for the HTT-40 in Nasik for production, and we have already produced the first three aircraft,” the report stated.
ASRAAM refers to Advanced Short Range Air to Air Missile.
The report, titled, “Demands for Grants of the Ministry of Defence for the year 2026-27 on Defence Public Sector Undertakings, Directorate of Ordnance (Coordination and Services) – New DPSUs, Directorate General of Quality Assurance, Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance and National Cadet Corps”, was presented in Parliament on Wednesday.
In February, a spokesperson of HAL said five Tejas light combat aircraft were fully ready for delivery to the Indian Air Force.
In February 2021, the defence ministry had sealed a Rs 48,000 crore deal with HAL for the procurement of 83 Tejas Mk-1A jets for the IAF.
The delivery of the jets are facing delays primarily due to GE Aerospace missing several deadlines for supply of its aero engines to power the jets.
As cited in the report, HAL’s CMD also told the panel that the HAL maintains a “comfortable order book position”.
The HAL is presently executing major projects worth Rs 2,22,182 crore with timeline for delivery — March 2034, which include Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk-1A; Hindustan Turbo Trainer (HTT-40); and Dornier (Do-228), etc., the report said.
The HAL has told the panel, “We have delivered 72 Dhruv. For Dornier in the current year, we have a large order for the mid life upgrade. The Prachand, we had delivered 15 in advance and now they are already in the field and based on that, we got 156 orders for Army and Air Force.” The state-run aerospace behemoth has said, “Currently, we have an order for supplying 34 Dhruv, 180 Tejas (Mk-1A), 156 Prachand which is the attack helicopter.” “We have an order for 12 Su-30 MKIs. We are restarting the line which was closed in 2019. We are restarting it to produce these 12 aircraft. We have also got an order for 240 AL31FP engines. We are already delivering these engines. This year’s we will be delivering in folds of 30,” it has said.
The defence ministry in 2024 said, a contract for procurement of 12 Su-30MKI aircraft along with associated equipment has been signed between the Ministry of Defence and HAL on December 12 that year, at an approximate cost of Rs 13,500 crore inclusive of taxes and duties.
These aircraft would be manufactured at HAL’s Nasik division. The supply of these aircraft would enhance operational capability of the Indian Air Force and strengthen defence preparedness of the country, the ministry had said.
The Committee in its report observed that from the information provided by Department of Defence Production, there exists substantial variation in order book position amongst old nine DPSUs.
“The order book position as on 31.12.2025 of old DPSUs, viz., HAL, BEL, BEML, BDL, MIDHANI, MDL, GRSE, GSL and HSL stood at Rs 2,60,960 crore, Rs 73,400 crore, Rs 16,359 crore, Rs 25962 crore, Rs 2,440 crore, Rs 27,415 crore, Rs 20205 crore, Rs 32,400 crore and Rs 18,308 crore,” the report said.
The panel said it understands that the above variation in order book position is due to nature of products or equipment and DPSUs are mostly competing to get orders.
It further said the panel has also been informed that future order book would depend on the requirements of armed forces and other customers and ability of DPSUs to serve those needs based on nomination or on competitive bidding basis.
The Committee said it is hopeful that order book position of old DPSUs would certainly improve in future and competition would act as a catalyst to excel.
The panel said it also wishes that these DPSUs “venture more into foreign markets” through diversification of their products and new designs to improve their order books position.
In its recommendations, the panel said that the use of AI in defence sector needs to be “further encouraged and promoted” as it facilitates faster decision-making, increases efficiency, reduces personnel risk and shifts warfare towards intelligence automated systems.
Further, with regard to the issue of modernisation, the Committee said it is of the view that modernisation is a continuous process and hoped that the ministry will take appropriate steps to incorporate the new technological challenges and needs in order to modernise the DPSUs which are the pillar of defence production and requirements.
At the same time enough focus on research and development and innovations is also required as an essential part of modernisation, it said. PTI KND NB NB
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