Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. on Thursday signed a deal with government-owned Pawan Hans Ltd. for supply of 10 Dhruv New Generation (NG) helicopters along with associated spares, accessories etc., worth Rs 1,800 crore. The choppers are contracted to be supplied by 2027, according to a stock exchange filing.
HAL Chairman and Managing Director DK Sunil said that defence PSU wanted to make a mark in the civilian aircraft sector. “Our civilian footprint has been very small in our portfolio. Almost 97% of our footprint has been in the defence manufacturing side. But as a corporate policy, over the last few years we have made a conscious decision that we need to diversify away from defence and increase the component of the civil in our sales,” he told the media in Hyderabad on Wednesday.
The Dhruv NG helicopters is a third generation aircraft with a glass cockpit and an engine which is manufactured by the HAL. Unlike single-engine helicopters, the Dhruv NG’s twin-engine configuration provides greater redundancy, especially critical in high-altitude and remote regions, as per reports. Sunil said he expects to complete the certification for the chopper in the next couple of months.
“Our first customer will be Pawan Hans and they are picking ten helicopters. This is going to be our first big order for the Group NG. Pawan Hans will deploy the NG aircraft for the offshore operations of ONGC between Mumbai and Bombay High from the 2026-2027 financial year,” the official added.
Shares of HAL settled 0.5% lower at Rs 4,602.05 on the BSE, compared to a 0.3% rise in the benchmark Sensex. The stock is up 25%in the last 12 months.
ALSO READ: HAL Plans To Start Commercial Manufacturing In The Next Three Years
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