HAL has announced partnership agreements with Indian industrial enterprises Adani Defence Systems and Technologies Ltd and BEML. The goal of this cooperation is to manufacture fuselage structures for the light attack helicopter (LCH) model 'Prachand', which contributes to expanding India's domestic helicopter production ecosystem.
According to the agreements reached, Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) will be responsible for manufacturing 48 fuselage structures, while Adani Defence will handle 42 structures.
The agreements were signed by Tushar Ranjan Behera, General Manager of the Helicopter Division, along with Cmde (Retd.) R. G. K. Rao, Executive Director for Aerospace and Marine Industries for BEML, and Prasanna Karthik, Vice President of ADSTL, for Adani Defence. The ceremony took place in the presence of senior management from HAL, BEML, and ADSTL.
CMD HAL, Ravi K, noted that this partnership is an important step in strengthening India's aerospace ecosystem. He emphasized that for the first time, the private sector is integrating into the production of helicopter fuselage structures. This collaboration will increase production capacity, strengthen the domestic supply chain, and enhance the capabilities of indigenous aerospace manufacturing.
HAL reported that it has increased production capacity and has already begun the output of 156 Prachand LCH helicopters ordered for the Indian Armed Forces at its new helicopter manufacturing plant in Tumakuru, Karnataka. The creation of two additional production lines will further improve the overall production capability of the LCH program and ensure the timely delivery of helicopters to the Indian Armed Forces.
Furthermore, HAL added that the expansion of the industrial base is expected to create opportunities for a wider network of Indian SMEs, component manufacturers, and aerospace product suppliers, thereby promoting the development of specialized competencies and strengthening the domestic aerospace supply chain.
