Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s Koraput division at Sunabeda has rolled out its 2,000th aero-engine and will establish a second production line for Shakti helicopter engines with an investment of Rs 218 crore, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced on Tuesday. The new line is scheduled to be fully established by 2028-29 and will have capacity to manufacture up to 100 engines annually.
Singh made the announcement while witnessing the milestone in the presence of Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi. The Shakti engines produced at the facility will support indigenous helicopters, including the Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter and Prachand Light Combat Helicopter.
The 2,000th engine marks six decades of propulsion manufacturing at HAL Koraput, which was established in 1964. The division has produced engines for aircraft including the MiG-21, MiG-27, MiG-29 and Su-30MKI. Alongside manufacturing, it has overhauled more than 9,000 aero-engines, a function Singh described as important for extending the operational life of defence assets.
“Self-reliance in aero-engines is the foundation of India’s complete aerospace sovereignty,” Singh said. He called for stronger domestic capabilities across engine design, development, testing, manufacturing and maintenance, and credited the engineers, technicians and wider workforce at Koraput with contributing to the operational capability of the armed forces.
HAL will also increase its annual production capacity for AL-31FP engines from 30 to 50. The company is investing Rs 335 crore for the expansion. The government placed an order for 240 AL-31FP engines for the Su-30MKI in 2024. According to the information shared at the event, HAL delivered 63 engines against a target of 60 by the end of the second year, despite global supply-chain disruptions and raw-material challenges.
The AL-31FP is used in the Su-30MKI fighter aircraft, while the Shakti engine programme is linked to India’s indigenous helicopter fleet. Singh said India would need expertise in advanced materials, metallurgy, precision manufacturing, cooling technologies, testing and quality assurance to achieve greater self-reliance in aero-engine production.
The minister also referred to the government’s indigenous high-thrust engine programme for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft, or AMCA, which involves an investment of around Rs 5,000 crore. The programme includes efforts to indigenise raw materials in partnership with Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited and establish India’s first indigenous high-thrust engine testing facility.
Singh urged HAL Koraput to develop into a wider aerospace propulsion hub by building supplier networks, mentoring micro, small and medium enterprises, encouraging start-ups and collaborating with universities and research institutions. He also referred to the proposed Aerospace and Defence Equipment Manufacturing Complex at Gajamara in Dhenkanal as part of Odisha’s expanding strategic and industrial role.
The new Shakti line at Sunabeda, higher AL-31FP output and the proposed testing and supplier ecosystem are expected to expand the industrial functions associated with the Koraput division. The second Shakti production line is scheduled to be fully established by 2028-29.
