The platforms were handed over in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu in Bengaluru.
Addressing the ceremony, Rajnath Singh described the occasion as an important milestone in India’s progress towards indigenous aerospace capability, technological self-confidence and Aatmanirbharta. He said India’s objective was to develop the capability to meet its aerospace requirements domestically while becoming globally competitive.
The Defence Minister said India was moving systematically towards self-reliance in defence manufacturing and highlighted the measures taken by the government to strengthen both defence public sector undertakings and private industry.
He stressed that aerospace self-reliance would require sustained and gradual development rather than a sudden transformation. According to him, aircraft design, avionics, propulsion, composite materials, flight-control systems, manufacturing and certification represent different elements of a complex aerospace ecosystem that must be developed domestically.
Rajnath Singh also underlined the growing convergence between civil and military aerospace capabilities, calling for an integrated ecosystem capable of meeting the requirements of both sectors. He said indigenous capabilities developed in areas such as aircraft design, avionics, propulsion and manufacturing would benefit the wider aerospace industry.
Emphasising the changing nature of warfare, the Defence Minister said future air operations would be increasingly information-intensive and technology-driven. He stressed the importance of integrating trained personnel, advanced technologies, complex systems and rapid decision-making.
He described the LCA FOC Trainer as an important platform for preparing pilots for demanding operational environments, while the Dhruv NG represented India’s growing capability in the civil aerospace sector.
On the HTT-40, Rajnath Singh noted that India had traditionally relied on imported aircraft for basic pilot training, while HAL was now manufacturing the trainer domestically to meet the requirements of the armed forces. He also highlighted its potential for exports.
Calling HAL a key pillar of India’s indigenous aerospace effort, the Defence Minister urged the company to expand capabilities across the complete aerospace value chain, covering design, development, manufacturing, certification, lifecycle support and global marketing.
He also called for realistic timelines for technical projects, warning that delays could create gaps in meeting critical defence requirements, increase costs and raise the risk of technologies becoming obsolete.
Rajnath Singh placed particular emphasis on research and development and called upon young scientists, engineers, designers, test pilots and technicians to develop technologies that do not currently exist. He said India must build capabilities capable of securing a leading position in global aerospace technology over the coming decade.
The Defence Minister further called for stronger cooperation between the public and private sectors, saying they should be viewed as collaborators rather than competitors. He identified artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, unmanned aerial systems, electronic warfare, cyber technologies and next-generation propulsion as key areas requiring indigenous development and integration.
Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said the certification and induction of the Dhruv NG into civil operations represented an important milestone for India’s indigenous civil aviation ecosystem. He said it reflected the growing ability of Indian industry to develop and support advanced aerospace platforms for commercial applications.
HAL CMD Ravi K said the handover of the Tejas FOC Twin Seater Trainers, HTT-40 aircraft and Dhruv NG helicopters demonstrated HAL’s capability to develop and deliver platforms for diverse defence and civil requirements.
The LCA Twin Seater Trainers are the final two aircraft under the FOC contract. They will support the IAF’s pilot-training requirements while providing an indigenous training pathway into frontline fighter operations. The trainer retains the core systems and combat capability of the frontline Tejas platform.
The HTT-40, an indigenously designed and developed basic trainer aircraft, is intended for primary training of defence pilots. Equipped with a modern cockpit and avionics suite, it is designed for aerobatics, general handling, instrument flying, navigation, night flying and close-formation flying.
The Dhruv NG represents HAL’s expansion into the civil and commercial rotary-wing segment. The civil-configured helicopter features enhanced systems, modern avionics and a more powerful engine and is intended for applications including passenger transport, emergency medical services and offshore logistics support.
Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Secretary Defence Production Sanjeev Kumar and Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation Samir Kumar Sinha were also present at the ceremony.
