HAL Pushes for Homegrown Cargo Transporter to Stay Afloat in MTA Race

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), India's state-owned aerospace giant, is pushing for the development of a fully indigenous cargo transporter.

This move comes as HAL feels the pressure of potential exclusion from the upcoming Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) program. The development of an indigenous platform also plays into India's increasing focus on self-reliance in defense.

HAL's push for an indigenous solution comes on the heels of a private Indian company's successful execution of the C-295 transport aircraft order, marking a historical first for the country's defense sector.

Sources familiar with the MTA program confirm HAL's advocacy for a domestically developed cargo aircraft. This approach aligns with the government's goal of bolstering India's self-reliance in military technology and could offer long-term advantages in maintenance and upgrades.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief's recent announcement regarding the replacement of its aging An-32 and IL-76 fleets with MTAs by 2030 and beyond presents a highly lucrative opportunity.

The potential for an order potentially exceeding 100 aircraft over the next two decades makes the MTA tender a highly desirable contract for defense contractors worldwide.

India's decision to withdraw from the collaborative MTA program with Russia, in which HAL held a key role, deprived the company of a pre-existing design for the IAF's needs.

Furthermore, several foreign aerospace companies interested in the IAF's tender have opted to partner with private Indian firms. This strategic move could potentially marginalize HAL if it doesn't put forward a compelling domestic solution.

The Indian government and the IAF are faced with a critical choice. Will they favor the potential long-term benefits of a fully indigenous aircraft spearheaded by HAL, or will the lure of established foreign platforms and partnerships with the private sector prove more appealing?

Ultimately, the coming months will prove pivotal in shaping the future of India's military transport aircraft capabilities and HAL's role within it.

 

[ABHIJIT APSINGIKAR]

Oh, can you give an example of this. As far as I know, the case has been the opposite, where armed forces make ridiculous demands, then when they get domestic product, they reject it and buy foreign stuff

They did the same to ALH DHRUV NAVY version. There was a reason they were kept out of the program as the platfirm did not comply wuth requirements. However HAL forced itself jn the deal and then lobbied with the MoD to acquire ALH DHRUV for Navy deck based utility helicopter requirements.

The lack of motorized wing folding mechanism taken over 20-25 min to go from idle state to ready state. What's worse the helicopter rotors are too tight a fit for Navy's hangers in frigate and destroyer. Moreover the last years crash revealed that the components ysed in helicopter did not even comply with stated tolerances and were wearing out far too rapidly.

 

[Rajesh]

Indigenous option in transport segment is a must for india .a program like Tejas has paved way for mk2,tedbf and amca making us self reliant in the near future. we badly need a similar project in cargo transport and passenger transport segment. Either it is hal (govt agencies) private companies or a jv between both which doesn't matter. This screwdriving earlier by dpsu and now by private companies will never give us any benefit but some monetary benefits in the form of electoral bonds and to middleman along with keyboard warriors. Hope an indigenous efforts is being initiated.