Inside the HAL helicopter factory in Tumakuru.
Bengaluru: In a significant push towards India’s defence indigenisation goals, Secretary (Defence Production) Sanjeev Kumar inaugurated the Prachand Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) structure assembly line along with a state-of-the-art Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS) at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s New Helicopter Factory in Tumakuru on Monday.
The inauguration marks a key milestone in strengthening India’s indigenous rotary-wing capabilities under the government’s self-reliance initiative. The Prachand LCH, designed and developed in India, is a critical combat platform tailored for high-altitude warfare and modern battlefield requirements.
Senior leadership, including HAL Chairman and Managing Director D. K. Sunil and Joint Secretary (Aero) Manisha Chandra, were present at the event alongside senior officials from the Ministry of Defence and HAL.
The New Helicopter Factory, a cutting-edge greenfield facility, has been established to drive large-scale production of both the Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) and the LCH.
It is also envisioned as a strategic hub for future indigenous programmes such as the Indian Multi Role Helicopter (IMRH) and the Deck-Based Multi Role Helicopter (DBMRH), reinforcing India’s long-term defence manufacturing roadmap.
During his visit, Sanjeev Kumar reviewed ongoing projects and held detailed discussions with HAL’s leadership. He expressed satisfaction with the progress achieved so far and underscored the importance of timely execution and scaling up production to meet the operational requirements of the armed forces.
He also toured key sections of the facility, including the dedicated LUH production line, the LCH equipping hangar, and the newly inaugurated ASRS unit, which is expected to significantly enhance logistics efficiency and inventory management through automation.
The development signals a major leap in India’s aerospace manufacturing ecosystem, with HAL continuing to play a pivotal role in advancing indigenous defence production and reducing dependence on imports.
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