Prime Minister dedicates to the nation HAL Helicopter Factory

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Helicopter Factory at Tumakuru in Karnataka on February 06, 2023. He took a walkthrough of the Helicopter Facility &Structure Hangar and unveiled the Light Utility Helicopter (LUH). The factory is India’s largest helicopter manufacturing facility and will initially produce LUHs.

The LUH is an indigenously designed and developed three-ton class, single-engine multipurpose utility helicopter with unique features of high manoeuvrability. Initially, this factory will produce around 30 helicopters per year which can be enhanced to 60 and then 90 per year in a phased manner.

The Prime Minister underlined that Made in India arms are not just supplied to the armed forces but the defence exports have also grown manifold when compared to the years before 2014. He emphasised that hundreds of helicopters are going to be manufactured in this facility itself in the near future which will give rise to businesses worth Rs four lakh crore. “When such manufacturing units are set up, it does not just strengthen the Armed Forces but also creates employment and self-employment opportunities,” Shri Modi remarked as he underlined that small businesses near the helicopter manufacturing facility in Tumkuru will get empowered.

The Prime Minister emphasised that with the spirit of ‘Nation First’ success is assured. He talked about revamping and reforms in the working of the public sector enterprises as well as opening up opportunities for the private sector.

In his address, the defence minister lauded the Prime Minister’s visionary leadership, saying that it has fuelled the rise of a ‘New India’ which has the ability to illuminate the world with its light. He stated that India has been a major centre for the production and export of silk, cotton & steel and it has now embarked on a journey to become a global hub in manufacturing, especially in the field of defence. He described the HAL Helicopter Factory as a testament to the country’s growing indigenous capabilities and the Government’s unwavering resolve to achieve ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in defence manufacturing.

About HAL Helicopter Factory

The Greenfield Helicopter Factory, spread across 615 acres of land, is planned with a vision to become a one-stop solution for all helicopter requirements of the country. After initially producing LUHs, the factory will be augmented to produce other helicopters such as Light Combat Helicopters (LCHs) and Indian Multirole Helicopters (IMRHs). It will also be used for Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul of LCH, LUH, Civil Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) and IMRH in the future. Potential exports of civil LUH will also be catered to from this factory.

The HAL plans to produce more than 1,000 helicopters in the range of 3-15 tonnes, with a total business of over Rs four lakh crores over a period of 20 years. Besides generating direct and indirect employment, the Tumakuru facility will boost the development of surrounding areas through its CSR activities with large-scale community-centric programmes on which the company will spend substantial amounts. All this will result in improvement in the people’s lives in the region.

The proximity of the factory, with the existing HAL facilities in Bengaluru, will boost the aerospace manufacturing ecosystem in the region and support skill & infrastructure development such as schools, colleges and residential areas. Medical and health care would also reach the community residing in the various nearby Panchayats.

With the establishment of facilities like a Heli-Runway, Flight Hangar, Final Assembly Hangar, Structure Assembly Hangar, Air Traffic Control and various supporting service facilities, the factory is fully operational. This factory is equipped with state-of-the-art Industry 4.0 standard tools and techniques for its operations. This factory will enable India to meet its entire requirement of helicopters without import and give a much-needed fillip to the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ in helicopter design, development, and manufacture.

Karnataka Chief Minister Shri Basavaraj Bommai, Ministers of the state government and senior officials of the Ministry of Defence were among those present on the occasion.