HAL delivers Tejas trainers, HTT-40 aircraft to IAF and Dhruv NG helicopters to Pawan Hans

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited handed over two Light Combat Aircraft Tejas Final Operational Clearance twin-seater trainers and three HTT-40 basic trainers to the Indian Air Force, along with four Dhruv Next Generation helicopters to Pawan Hans Limited, at a ceremony in Bengaluru on September 18, 2026. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu were present.

Addressing the gathering, Singh described the handover as a significant milestone in the country's progress towards indigenous aerospace capability, technological self-confidence and self-reliance. He said India's aim is to be capable, self-reliant and globally competitive in meeting its aerospace requirements.

The Defence Minister said India is moving systematically towards self-reliance in defence, with state-of-the-art equipment now manufactured domestically. He pointed to steps taken to give defence public sector undertakings room to grow while also encouraging private industry on a level playing field.

Singh stressed that aerospace development cannot happen in sudden leaps. He described it as a vast, gradual process involving a wide range of components, each representing a small rung on a long ladder, and said challenges should be treated as milestones on a larger roadmap.

He called the ceremony a symbol of growing synergy between civil aviation and defence aerospace capabilities, and said a robust aerospace industry should not be limited to military requirements alone. An ecosystem addressing both civil and military aviation needs is necessary, he said, adding that capabilities such as aircraft design, avionics, propulsion, composite materials, flight control systems, manufacturing and certification benefit the entire sector when developed within the country.

Noting that the nature of warfare is changing rapidly and future air operations will be information-intensive and technology-driven, Singh underlined the importance of developing complex systems indigenously. He said combat effectiveness depends on well-trained personnel, advanced technology, integrated systems and rapid decision-making, and expressed confidence that the LCA FOC trainer will help prepare pilots for that environment. He described the Dhruv-NG as an example of indigenous civil aerospace prowess and the LCA FOC trainer as a symbol of indigenous military aerospace capability and the maturity of the fighter aircraft ecosystem.

On the HTT-40, Singh said India had for years relied on imported aircraft for basic training, and that HAL is now manufacturing the aircraft indigenously for the IAF. He highlighted its export potential and expressed confidence that it would find demand in international markets.

Singh called HAL a pillar in India's effort to build indigenous aerospace capabilities, citing its work across aircraft manufacturing, helicopter development, overhaul, repair, maintenance and aerospace engineering. He urged the company to expand across the entire aerospace value chain, including design, development, manufacturing, certification, lifecycle support and global marketing.

He also called for realistic project timelines, noting that delays can create gaps in meeting critical defence requirements, drive up costs and raise the risk of technology obsolescence. Describing research and development as a crucial priority, he urged young scientists, engineers, designers, test pilots and technicians to create technologies that do not exist today and to secure a leading position for India in the global aerospace technology landscape over the coming decade.

Singh said the public and private sectors should be seen as collaborators rather than competitors, and called for enhanced public-private synergy to build next-generation indigenous aerospace capabilities. He said the sector must prepare for transformation through artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, unmanned aerial systems, electronic warfare, cyber technologies and next-generation propulsion, with a strong focus on indigenous development and integration.

Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said the certification and induction of the Dhruv NG into civil operations marked an important milestone for India's indigenous civil aviation ecosystem, reflecting the growing capability of Indian industry to develop and support advanced aerospace platforms for commercial applications.

HAL Chairman and Managing Director Ravi K said the handover demonstrated the company's ability to develop and deliver platforms for diverse civil and defence requirements, and reflected the depth of capability built over the years and the strength of the supporting indigenous aerospace ecosystem.

Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Secretary (Defence Production) Sanjeev Kumar and Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation Samir Kumar Sinha attended the event.

The two LCA twin-seater trainers are the final aircraft under the FOC contract. They will support the IAF's training requirements and provide pilots with an indigenous training continuum into frontline fighter operations, retaining the core systems and combat capability of the frontline platform. The HTT-40 is an indigenously designed and developed basic trainer aircraft intended for the primary training requirements of the defence forces, built around a proven turboprop engine and designed for good low-speed handling characteristics.