PM Modi inaugurates the HAL’s Helicopter Facility in Karnataka

Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) helicopter facility in Tumakuru, Karnataka, on Monday. This plant will initially produce Light Utility Helicopters and is Asia’s largest helicopter production facility (LUH).

PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the Helicopter Facility of Hindustan Aeronautic Limited in Karnataka’s Tumakuru on January 6, 2023, in the presence of  Union Defense Minister, Rajnath Singh, and Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai. The 615-acre greenfield helicopter factory aims to solve all the helicopter requirements of the nation. Being Asia’s largest helicopter manufacturing unit, it will first start with manufacturing light-utility helicopters (LUHs). LUH is an indigenously designed and developed 3-ton class, single-engine multipurpose utility helicopter that has a unique feature of high maneuverability.

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This development has strengthened the Central Government’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, which claimed to provide employment is nearly 6000 people and assured development around the Tumakuru district in Karnataka. This facility is said to bring a revenue of nearly 4 lakh crore in the next 10 years.

In a public address, PM Modi said, “Karnataka is the land of innovation. From drones to Tejas aircraft manufacturing is being done in the state. The state has become the first choice for investors. From modern assault rifles, aircraft carriers, to fighter jets are being manufactured by India.”

The plans for this facility are to include the production of Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) and Indian Multirole Helicopter (IMRH) as well as for repair and overhaul of LCH, LUH, Civil ALH, and IMRH. This will boost the defense sector in India along with making India an exporter of such copters in the future.

The defense ministry reported that the facility is completely operational with the establishment of various facilities like heli-runway, flight hangar, final assembly hangar, structure assembly hangar, air traffic control, and various supporting service facilities.

In the coming 2-decades, HAL plans to produce more than 1000 helicopters in the class of 3-15 tonnes from the Tumakuru facility which will have a manufacturing set-up of Industry 4.0 standards.