The aero components sector in the country is set to double from ₹30,000 crore today to ₹60,000 crore by 2024, according to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
On the last day of Aero India here on Friday, Mr. Singh said the government’s endeavour to bring down defence imports by at least $2 billion by 2022 would remain.
“We have signed 128 Memorandums of Understanding (MoU), 19 Transfer of Technology (ToT), four handing overs, 18 product launches and 32 major announcements, totalling a grand figure of 201 feats. Further, of the 45 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) participating in Aero India, 21 have bagged orders worth ₹203 crore. This is a major achievement,” he stated.
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President Ramnath Kovind visited the show on the last day, witnessed an air display and addressed the gathering.
Talking of domestic defence manufacturing, Mr. Singh said that between 2016 and 2019, 138 proposals worth over $37 billion for domestic manufacturing had been approved.
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“India has a great potential to emerge as a global and regional Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) hub, given the cost competitiveness of its manpower resources, the availability of abundant, specialist capabilities and geographical advantages,” he observed.
“The aerospace sector has an important role to play, if we have to reach our targets of domestic defence production of $25 billion and exports of $5 billion by 2025”, he noted.
A robust domestic manufacturing base related directly to the potential for defence exports. “We plan to move from a $11 billion defence base to $25 billion by 2025. Of this, we further intend to create an export component of $5 billion,” he said.
Initial Operational Clearance for LUH
The Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) received the Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) for the Indian Army from the Centre for Military Airworthiness & Certification(CEMILAC).
The LUH is a 3-tonne class new generation single engine helicopter designed and developed by HAL and is meant tp replace the ageing fleet of Cheetah and Chetak helicopters in service.
All certification activities such as ground testing, Ground Test Vehicle endurance runs, system testing and flight testing, including hot and cold weather trials, sea level trials and hot weather high altitude trials, have been completed, HAL said.
At the air show, HAL handed over three Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Mk III to the Navy and two ALHs to the Coast Guard as part of its 16 ALHs’ contract.
“The remaining helicopters from the contract are under various stages of production, flight tests and we plan to deliver all of them within the contract delivery schedules despite production slowdown due to COVID-19 restrictions” said Mr Madhavan, Chairman and Managing Director of HAL.
The ALH has clocked close to 3,00,000 cumulative flight hours and proven its mettle in versatile operations. The ALH Mk III is fitted with state of the art glass cockpit and powerful Shakti engine and integration of 19 major systems.