Bhubaneswar, Oct 5. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will on October 7 attend a landmark event at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s (HAL) Koraput division in Odisha to mark the delivery of the public sector aerospace major’s 2,000th aero-engine, underscoring India’s expanding indigenous defence manufacturing capabilities.
The milestone comes nearly six decades after the Koraput division began contributing to the country’s aerospace and defence production ecosystem and supporting the operational requirements of the Armed Forces.
The event will also mark the establishment of a second production line for the Shakti helicopter engine at HAL Koraput, involving an investment of ₹218 crore. The additional manufacturing capacity is aimed at meeting the growing demand for indigenous helicopter platforms, including the Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) and Prachand Light Combat Helicopter (LCH).
The expansion is expected to strengthen India’s ability to produce propulsion systems for its growing fleet of indigenous helicopters and support the armed forces’ efforts to enhance operational readiness through greater availability of locally manufactured engines.
Indigenous aero-engine development and production remains a critical challenge for India’s defence industrial ambitions because propulsion technology involves highly complex engineering, advanced materials and stringent manufacturing standards.
The 2,000-engine milestone and the expansion of Shakti engine production are part of the government’s broader push to move India from being predominantly a buyer of defence equipment to becoming a designer, developer and manufacturer of advanced military systems.
The event will be attended by Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Defence Production Secretary Sanjeev Kumar and HAL Chairman and Managing Director Ravi K, among other senior officials.
