Cabinet okay Rs 6,828-crore plan to source 70 trainer aircrafts from HAL

Tribune News Service

Ajay Banerjee

New Delhi, March 1

The Union Cabinet has approved procurement of 70 HTT-40 Basic Trainer Aircraft from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Indian Air Force at a cost of Rs 6,828.36 crore. The aircrafts will be supplied over a period of six years.

The Cabinet has approved to sign a contract with Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T) for acquisition of three cadet training ships, at an overall cost of Rs 3,108 crore. Delivery of ships is scheduled to commence from 2026.

The Ministry of Defence said the HTT-40 is a turbo prop aircraft and is designed to have good low speed handling qualities and provide better training effectiveness. This trainer plane has an air-conditioned cockpit, modern avionics and ejection seats.

The aircraft will meet the shortage of basic trainer aircraft of IAF for training of newly inducted pilots. The procurement will include associated equipment and training aids including simulators. Being an indigenous solution, the aircraft is configurable for upgrades to incorporate the futuristic requirements of the Indian armed forces.

The HTT-40 contains approximately 56 per cent indigenous content, which will progressively increase to over 60 per cent through indigenisation of major components and subsystems. The HAL would engage Indian private industry, including MSMEs, in its supply chain.

In case of the ships, the MoD said these will cater to training of officer cadets, including women, at sea after their basic training to meet the future requirements of the Indian Navy. The ships would also provide training to cadets from friendly countries with the aim to

strengthen diplomatic relations. The ships can also be deployed for evacuation of people and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR).

The ships will be indigenously designed, developed and constructed at L&T shipyard in Kattupalli, Chennai. The Ministry of Defence said “This will encourage active participation of Indian shipbuilding and associated industries, including MSMEs. Majority of

equipment and systems will be sourced from indigenous manufacturers.”

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