IndiaPosted at: Sep 17 2026 5:01PM


HAL to hand over Tejas, HTT-40 to IAF; Dhruv NG to Pawan Hans

Parwinder Sandhu
New Delhi, Sep 17 (UNI)
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will hand over LCA Tejas Final Operational Clearance (FOC) twin-seat trainer aircraft to the Indian Air Force in Bengaluru on Friday, marking another milestone in the country's effort to build an indigenous fighter aircraft ecosystem.
The September 18 ceremony, to be attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu, will also see HAL hand over HTT-40 basic trainer aircraft to the IAF and Dhruv Next Generation (NG) helicopters to Pawan Hans Limited.
The Tejas twin-seat trainers are significant for the IAF as they will provide an indigenous platform for training and conversion of fighter pilots on the Light Combat Aircraft. The second cockpit allows an instructor to accompany a trainee during training sorties while retaining the aircraft's fighter configuration and capabilities.
The handover comes as the indigenous Tejas programme moves through different stages of its evolution, from the original Mk-1 aircraft to the more advanced Mk-1A variant that is intended to form a larger part of the IAF's future fighter fleet.
The Tejas has been developed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), with HAL serving as the production agency. The programme was conceived to develop an indigenous single-engine multirole fighter and replace the IAF's ageing MiG-21 fleet while creating domestic expertise in the design, development and manufacture of modern combat aircraft.
The IAF's initial Tejas Mk-1 order covered 40 aircraft, with the programme progressing from the Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) configuration to the Final Operational Clearance standard. The FOC configuration incorporated additional capabilities following an extensive flight-test and certification process.
The programme subsequently moved towards the Tejas Mk-1A, an enhanced version featuring upgrades including an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, improved electronic warfare capabilities and enhanced maintainability.
In February 2021, the government signed a contract worth about Rs 48,000 crore with HAL for 83 Tejas Mk-1A aircraft, comprising 73 single-seat fighters and 10 twin-seat trainers. The government later cleared another 97 Tejas Mk-1A aircraft, significantly expanding the planned induction of the indigenous fighter.
The Mk-1A programme, however, has faced delays, including issues concerning the availability of critical components and engines. The aircraft is powered by GE Aerospace's F404 engine, and delays in engine supplies have affected the pace of deliveries.
The HTT-40, another indigenous aircraft developed and manufactured by HAL, is being inducted by the IAF for basic pilot training, while Dhruv NG helicopters will be handed over to Pawan Hans for civil aviation operations.
The HTT-40 is designed for ab-initio training of military pilots and is part of India's efforts to establish an indigenous training-aircraft ecosystem alongside its combat-aircraft programme.
Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Defence Production Secretary Sanjeev Kumar, Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha and HAL CMD Ravi K, besides senior officials from the Defence Ministry, Civil Aviation Ministry, IAF, Pawan Hans, regulatory agencies and the aerospace and defence industry, are expected to attend the ceremony.
The government has accorded priority to indigenous design, development and manufacturing in aerospace and defence, with platforms such as Tejas, HTT-40 and Dhruv NG being positioned as part of a wider effort to strengthen domestic capabilities and reduce dependence on foreign sources.
UNI PWS RSA
Tags: #HAL to hand over Tejas# HTT-40 to IAF; Dhruv NG to Pawan Hans
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