Parliamentary Committee Slams HAL's Systemic Inefficiencies Fueling Tejas Delays and Dhruv Groundings, Jeopardizing National Defence Readiness

India's state-owned aerospace manufacturer, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), faced sharp criticism from the parliamentary committee on public undertakings this past Thursday, March 27.

The committee delivered a critical report highlighting significant operational shortcomings at HAL, particularly concerning delays in the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) program and the recent grounding of the Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) fleet.

These issues, the report suggests, stem from deep-seated inefficiencies in HAL that compromise India's defence preparedness.

The Tejas LCA program, a cornerstone of India's ambition for self-reliance in defence technology, has been significantly hampered by production delays

Intended to replace the Indian Air Force's (IAF) aging MiG-21 fleet, the Tejas achieved initial operational clearance in 2013 and final operational clearance in 2019. However, HAL has struggled to meet delivery schedules, leaving the IAF waiting for these crucial indigenous fighters.

The parliamentary committee identified inadequate planning and execution as primary reasons for the delays, warning that this lag impacts national security amidst regional geopolitical complexities. The IAF has orders placed for multiple variants, including 83 of the improved Tejas Mk1A, making timely delivery essential.

Adding to HAL's challenges is the grounding of its Dhruv ALH fleet. Following a crash incident on January 5, 2025, which raised questions about the platform's safety mechanisms, over 330 Dhruv helicopters were temporarily taken out of service for comprehensive safety evaluations.

These helicopters are vital assets operated by the Indian Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard for transport, reconnaissance, and utility roles. While HAL described the grounding as a necessary precaution, the event has inevitably affected confidence in the reliability of this widely used helicopter.

In its assessment, the parliamentary committee strongly criticised HAL for what it termed "systemic inefficiencies." The report stated, "HAL’s prolonged project timelines, impaired costs, and missed strategic opportunities have hindered its ability to meet the operational demands of the armed forces effectively."

The committee stressed that these failures not only pose risks to national defence but also undermine India's goals of becoming a significant player in the global defence manufacturing sector.

To address these persistent problems, the committee report urged HAL to implement substantial reforms. It specifically called for "rigorous adherence to pre-project processes, enhanced risk assessment mechanisms, and structured stakeholder engagements."

The report emphasized that adopting these improvements is crucial for HAL to regain competitiveness internationally and successfully contribute to the government's "Make in India" and "Atmanirbhar Bharat" initiatives in the defence sector.

The confluence of protracted delays with the Tejas program, the extensive grounding of the Dhruv fleet, and direct censure from Parliament marks a significant period of difficulty for HAL. As a key entity in India's defence industrial infrastructure, the company faces mounting pressure to resolve these operational and safety issues promptly to restore faith and effectively support the nation's defence forces.

 

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[op gupta]

The expectation that HAL would develop and deliver a fourth-generation fighter aircraft is itself deeply flawed. I think HAL should have been tasked with aircraft component manufacturing initially, but the government had no other option. Besides, the process of recruiting candidates from other categories is also dangerous; they should be selected only on the basis of talent and hard work.

 

[SURESH RAO]

Not only that, GOI made several attempts to sabotage HAL during 2014-2020. On one hand, GOI spends years sabotaging. On the other hand, it talks about efficiency.

If someone is riding a two-wheeler and some other vehicle keeps obstructing the path, how will the two-wheeler ride smoothly?

 

[Sangram]

Why not parliamentary committees take any action or just word is sufficient.

 

[Mc Addy]

Its 10 years of total failure, not one days as only one Rafel deal happened and since then till now , all is old systems of 1970s era still in action.

 

[sumeet biswas]

Everything can be fixed with one solution:
privatisation of HAL,
and see the difference yourself.

 

[swatkats_razor]

Everything can be fixed with one solution:
privatisation of HAL,
and see the difference yourself.

They will not. At this stage, it is not even about capabilities. It is about politics. HAL provides employment to a bunch of good-for-nothing people who have one thing going for them, the right to universal franchise. 30,000 direct employment and another 50,000 or so indirect employment and add to that a million family members with power to vote. Nobody wants to touch that hot potato of a fallout.

 

[Man-ju]

Not only that, GOI made several attempts to sabotage HAL during 2014-2020. On one hand, GOI spends years sabotaging. On the other hand, it talks about efficiency.

If someone is riding a two-wheeler and some other vehicle keeps obstructing the path, how will the two-wheeler ride smoothly?

Can you kindly throw some light on sabotage theory? HAL doesn't have an exceptional track record, every kid in this country (maybe even outside) knows it.

 

[123Stormtrooper]

The mess that HAL and other PSUs are in is because of these shameless parliamentary policies. Give them freedom. Let them work like private companies. Let them hire the best, not reservation freeloaders. Then you have a right to open your mouth. Blaming HAL is like blaming a chained Rottweiler for burglary in your house.

 

[sujith sudhakaran]

While complete privatisation of HAL is next to impossible, the government should implement a non-government staff board to oversee and audit HAL activities. This would give enough pressure to the bureaucrats in HAL to at least put in some effort.

 

[Sudha]

The mess that HAL and other PSUs are in is because of these shameless parliamentary policies. Give them freedom. Let them work like private companies. Let them hire the best, not reservation freeloaders. Then you have a right to open your mouth. Blaming HAL is like blaming a chained Rottweiler for burglary in your house.

There are DPSUs like BEL, BEML, BDL... which are very efficient. HAL is a pure example of Indian Babu culture. So do not blame the politicians only.

 

[Sandeep]

India needs to overhaul HAL and its operating procedures, systems and technology development etc. They need to get a team in from the private sector who can come and create a detailed roadmap on how to design, develop and manufacture the entire jet and its parts and components that they will need.

 

[SURESH RAO]

Can you kindly throw some light on sabotage theory? HAL doesn't have an exceptional track record, every kid in this country (maybe even outside) knows it.

What happened from 2014 to 2019? Read carefully. Everyone has forgotten. There were many attempts to drown HAL. One evidence: Rs 1000 crore HAL shares were diverted to the government in 2016. The main idea was to drown HAL and bring up a private company. It failed because it is not easy to create a new company like Lockheed or Boeing in India.

Later on, they realised their mistake and in 2023, the GOI awarded HAL with NAVRATNA STATUS. At least they realised their mistake. And now, HAL has become one of the biggest aerospace companies in Asia.

From 2020 till date GOI is supporting HAL