States » EastPosted at: Oct 6 2026 6:50PM


Rajnath Singh announces second Shakti engine production line at HAL Koraput

Bhubaneswar, Oct 6 (UNI) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday announced an Rs 218-crore second production line for Shakti helicopter engines at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s (HAL) Koraput division, setting a higher production target as India steps up efforts to reduce dependence on foreign technology for critical aircraft engines.
The new line will produce up to 100 Shakti engines annually and is expected to be fully operational by 2028-29. The engines will power indigenous platforms, including the Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter and Prachand Light Combat Helicopter.
Singh made the announcement while witnessing the delivery of HAL Koraput’s 2,000th aero-engine and called for faster progress in building indigenous capabilities in engine design, development, testing, manufacturing and maintenance.
He said mastery of aero-engine technology was central to India’s ambition of becoming self-reliant in aerospace and defence, particularly as the country moves ahead with the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme.
The Defence Minister highlighted a proposed Rs 5,000-crore investment in the AMCA engine programme, besides efforts to develop indigenous sources for critical raw materials and establish a high-thrust engine testing facility in the country.
HAL will also raise its annual production capacity of AL-31FP engines from 30 to 50, with an investment of Rs 335 crore. Of the 240 engines ordered for the Su-30MKI in 2024, HAL has delivered 63, exceeding its target of 60 by the end of the second year despite global supply-chain constraints.
Singh said HAL Koraput, which has completed six decades of operations, has powered several generations of fighter aircraft, including the MiG-21, MiG-27, MiG-29 and Su-30MKI. The division has also overhauled more than 9,000 engines.
He urged HAL to transform Koraput into a broader aerospace propulsion hub by integrating MSMEs, start-ups, private industry, academia and research institutions and developing indigenous capabilities for critical components.
Singh also pitched Odisha as a potential defence manufacturing hub, citing its industrial infrastructure, ports, mineral resources and skilled workforce, along with the DRDO’s Integrated Test Range at Chandipur. He welcomed the state government’s approval for an Aerospace and Defence Equipment Manufacturing Complex at Gajamara in Dhenkanal.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Defence Production Secretary Sanjeev Kumar, senior Air Force officials and top executives of HAL attended the event.
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