HAL delivers new batch of Tejas trainers and HTT-40 aircraft to Indian Air Force

State-run aerospace firm Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has formally delivered a fresh batch of locally built aircraft to the Indian Air Force and civil operator Pawan Hans, marking a step forward in India's efforts to build its own aviation sector.

During a ceremony in Bengaluru on Friday, HAL handed over two Tejas twin-seat trainer jets, three HTT-40 basic trainers, and four Dhruv Next Generation (NG) helicopters. The event was attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu.

The delivery of the two Tejas trainers wraps up a long-delayed contract signed back in 2010, which covered 16 single-seat fighter jets and four twin-seat trainers under the final operational clearance configuration. These two-seater planes are designed to help trainee pilots transition onto front-line fighter jets, though they keep their full combat capabilities.

Kicking off new trainer deliveries

The three HTT-40 turboprop trainers, which Rajnath Singh named "Ankur" during the ceremony, are the very first of 70 aircraft ordered by the defence ministry to train rookie pilots. Singh noted that the aircraft would help end India's long reliance on imported trainer planes and could eventually be exported.

Meanwhile, the four Dhruv NG helicopters handed over to Pawan Hans mark the civil-certified version's entry into the commercial market. The 5.5-tonne helicopters will be used for passenger flights, offshore logistics, and emergency medical services.

While the ceremony was a celebration of domestic manufacturing, the Defence Minister took the opportunity to issue a blunt warning to HAL about project delays. Singh urged the manufacturer to establish more realistic timelines, warning that delays create critical security gaps, drive up costs, and risk making technology obsolete before it even enters service.

He also called for deeper collaboration between state-owned defence firms and private manufacturers to speed up development in fields like artificial intelligence, electronic warfare, and unmanned systems.

Getting the Tejas fighter back on track

The pressure to deliver is particularly acute for HAL’s flagship fighter programme. In an interview with the Hindustan Times, HAL chairman Ravi K said the company hopes to begin delivering the more advanced LCA Mk-1A fighter jets to the Air Force by the end of this year, once final radar and weapon-integration issues are resolved.

Deliveries of the Mk-1A were originally supposed to start in March 2024 but were delayed by engine shortages from American supplier GE Aerospace. Ravi K told the newspaper that HAL has now received 10 engines and has 27 airframes ready, allowing it to comfortably deliver 10 complete fighter jets to the Air Force in the 2026-27 financial year.

The Air Force, which currently operates only 30 fighter squadrons against an authorised strength of 42.5, is relying heavily on HAL to deliver. Over the coming decades, the air branch expects to buy around 350 variants of the Tejas aircraft.