Indian Aero Space Major, Hindustan Aeronautics limited (HAl) under Ministry of Defence is seeing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Russia as a big push to ‘Make in India’ campaign which should result in production of new generation defence aviation products in the country itself, helping HAl move up defence supply chain.
Even though HAl is not new to Russian joint ventures in Defence Aviation, Prime Minister’s visit is expected to boost ties in bringing new products to face the eventualities in the changing geo-political situation.
HAl Chairman T Suvarna Raju who is part of the PM’s delegation to Russia is hopeful of speeding up Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFT) project which is the need of the hour.
He said the Indo-Russia Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) project has “regained its speed” and the company hoped to know about a decision on it in next six months.
“The FGFA programme has regained its speed. Discussions are on. Hopefully, we should know a decision in next six months,” Raju told reporters here.
The statement comes when the final design contract, under which the Russian and Indian Governments were to contribute an initial USD 6 billion each for prototype development and production, has not been signed between the two countries.
The proposal awaits a decision from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, when he meets Russian President Vladimir Putin for the annual India-Russia summit this week.
The project, which costs an estimated $30 billion, involves Russia’s Sukhoi Design Bureau and Hindustan Aeronautics limited (HAl). Under the project, single-seat fighters will be made in India.
In another development under Make In India HAl is dreaming of realising the dream of building a 60/80 seater regional passenger plane with the help of Indian and Foreign companies.
“We could not form the SPV [a 50:50 special purpose vehicle or company] with NAl due to certain reasons from NAl. It stopped there. Now we are looking at two options: make our own ‘brand India’ aircraft or co-produce a regional transport aircraft (RTA)” suited to travel within the country, said T. Suvarna Raju.
After shelving the passenger aircraft project with NAl, HAl is now going ahead and venturing with its own partners to build a passenger aircraft to conquer the potential market within and outside also.
According to Raju along with the multi-purpose helicopter Advanced light Helicopter ( AlH), a passenger plane, forms an important aspect of HAl’s venture into civil space. last year, HAl had invited proposals from engine manufacturers ahead of designing an aircraft around a suitable engine. The project to design and build flying prototypes,. Raju said, was estimated to cost around Rs. 7,000 crore and would need all the funds it could garner. Market surveys indicate that the country may need 200 aircraft in the 70-seater class over the next five years.
According to T Suvarna Raju , HAl which is which is celebrating its 75th year, is all set to start work on its new helicopter manufacturing plant near Tumakuru, in Karnataka.
“The Prime Minister, who is the driving force behind ‘Make in India’, will be here for the foundation laying ceremony on January 2,” he said .
Raju thanked the Government of Karnataka for grating 610 acres in Tumakuru. HAl will be building its light utility helicopter, the naval multi-role helicopter and Indian multi-role helicopter at the plant. HAl for the 2014-15 financial year had a turnover of $2.6 billion.
“We have an order for 40 light Combat Aircraft (Tejas) and efforts are in place to obtain the Final Operational Clearance (FOC) by the end of 2015. Steps are also taken towards developing the lCA Mk II version which will have a higher powered engine and HAl is expecting orders from IAF for the same,” said Raju.
The first flight of light Utility Helicopter PT1 is expected in next few days and operational clearance of the basic version is expected by the end of year 2016. “HAl has also received an order for 20 Cheetal helicopters from the Indian Army, which is being executed now. The Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT) has also completed 980 test flights and we plan to get get its operation clearance during 2015-16,” the CMD added.