HAL is in the process of identifying the private defence major with whom it will share the technology for the production of the twin-engine combat helicopter in India.

HAL will for the first time share technology with a private entity for the mass production of a military platform. A Request for Proposal will soon be called to select an Indian private company for complete transfer of technology.

In the first such initiative, state-run aerospace behemoth Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) is ready to transfer the technology of its advanced light helicopter Dhruv to a domestic defence manufacturer for the commercial production of the chopper, official sources said.

HAL is in the process of identifying the private defence major with whom it will share the technology for the production of the twin-engine combat helicopter in India.

The private entity will have the option of selling the choppers or through HAL.

HAL will for the first time share technology with a private entity for the mass production of a military platform. It was not immediately known how much it would charge for the technology transfer.

The decision to go ahead with this was in line with the government's initiative to promote the domestic defence industry, officials said.

The indigenously designed and developed Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH-DHRUV) is a twin-engine, multi-role, multi-new generation helicopter in the 5.5-ton weight class.

At present, it is executing an order for another 159 choppers for the Army and the Air Force.

"The annual Defence production in the private sector is expected to touch ₹ 10,000 crore this year, up from ₹ 5,500 crore last year and ₹ 2,000 crore four years ago," he said.

Around 275 items that was licensed under Ordnance Factory reserve list has been de-notified so that the Armed Forces can go directly to the market and have competitive bidding in which Ordnance Factories can also apply, the official said.

The sources said a number of defence manufacturers have shown an interest in acquiring the technology for the Dhruv helicopter.

In September 2019, HAL had signed a ₹ 6,100-crore contract for the supply of 41 Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) to the Indian Army while in March, the state-run entity inked a contract for supplying 32 ALH to the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard.

The officials said HAL had enhanced its production facilities to speed up the manufacturing of helicopters and the Tejas light combat aircraft. They said HAL had finalised a plan to manufacture nearly 1,000 military helicopters and over 100 planes, in tune with the government's focus on speeding up defence indigenisation.

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