HAL to Hand Over LCA Tejas Twin-Seater Trainers, HTT-40 Aircraft and Dhruv NG Helicopters in Bengaluru
Bengaluru: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is set to hand over LCA Tejas Final Operational Clearance (FOC) Twin Seater Trainers and HTT-40 Basic Trainer Aircraft to the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Dhruv Next Generation (NG) helicopters to Pawan Hans Limited (PHL) at an event in Bengaluru on September 18, 2026. The handover will take place in the presence of Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh and Minister of Civil Aviation Shri K Rammohan Naidu, marking an important milestone in India’s efforts to strengthen indigenous aerospace and defence capabilities.
The event will highlight the growing contribution of HAL and its industry partners towards building a stronger domestic aerospace ecosystem. It will also showcase India’s expanding capability to design, develop and manufacture advanced aviation platforms for both military and civil applications. The LCA Tejas twin-seater trainers and HTT-40 basic trainer aircraft are being handed over to the Indian Air Force, while the Dhruv NG helicopters will be handed over to Pawan Hans Limited, further demonstrating the expanding application of indigenous aerospace platforms across defence and civil aviation sectors.
Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Secretary (Defence Production) Shri Sanjeev Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation Shri Samir Kumar Sinha, CMD, HAL Shri Ravi K, along with senior officials from the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Civil Aviation, IAF, PHL, regulatory agencies and representatives from the aerospace and defence industry, are expected to attend the occasion.
The Government of India has placed significant emphasis on promoting indigenous design, development and manufacturing in the aerospace and defence sectors. The induction and handover of these platforms represent another step towards strengthening domestic capabilities and supporting the development of a self-reliant aerospace ecosystem.
The initiative also underlines the role of Indian industry in developing advanced aviation technologies and manufacturing capabilities while reducing dependence on foreign sources. The participation of industry partners further reflects the growing depth of India’s domestic aerospace supply chain. The Bengaluru event is therefore expected to showcase the progress being made under the broader Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision and the increasing capabilities of Indian aerospace manufacturers in serving both national defence requirements and civil aviation needs.
