Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is set to commission its second production line for the HTT-40 basic trainer aircraft on October 17, marking a major milestone in India’s indigenous aerospace manufacturing drive.

The new assembly line, located at HAL’s Aircraft Division in Bangalore, will significantly augment production capacity and ensure timely deliveries to the Indian Air Force (IAF).

This expansion reflects a key element of India’s national vision to achieve self-reliance in defence manufacturing under the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” initiative.

The HTT-40, designed and developed by HAL, is a fully indigenous turboprop trainer aircraft built to replace legacy foreign platforms and meet modern pilot training needs with advanced avionics, ejection systems, and digital flight instrumentation.

The second production line will streamline the manufacturing process and facilitate parallel assembly, testing, and quality control operations. This step ensures HAL’s ability to deliver the initial batch of 70 HTT-40 aircraft ordered by the IAF at a faster pace while maintaining international safety and performance standards.

The commissioning aligns with the government’s broader push to develop a globally competitive aerospace ecosystem, reducing import dependency for basic trainers and increasing export potential in the defence aviation market.

The expansion will also generate new employment opportunities, strengthen local supplier networks, and attract fresh investments into India’s aviation manufacturing infrastructure.

The initiative underscores the strategic shift from licensed production to indigenous design leadership, positioning India among the few nations capable of developing and serially producing their own military training aircraft.

Industrial Ecosystem Partners Supporting HAL’s Second HTT-40 Production Line


CategoryPartnerContribution
Airframe ComponentsL&T DefencePrecision structural assemblies and composite panels
Avionics and Display SystemsBharat Electronics Limited (BEL)Cockpit instrumentation, mission computer integration, and flight data systems
Propulsion SystemsHAL Engine Division (Koraput)Assembly and testing of the Honeywell TPE331-12B engine under license support
Electrical & Wiring HarnessRossell TechsysIndigenous wiring harnesses and connectors for airframe integration
Hydraulic SystemsGodrej AerospaceHydraulic actuators, high-pressure valves, and landing gear components
Flight Control and ActuationTata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL)Flight control linkages, assembly jigs, and fabrication tooling
Testing & CalibrationDRDO–Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA)Flight performance validation and test instrumentation support
Materials & Composites SupplyNational Aerospace Laboratories (NAL)Advanced composite materials and lightweight structural integration
Vendor Development & MSME OutreachSIDBI & Ministry of MSMEFinancial enablement and production consultancy for Tier-II suppliers
Automation & Quality Control IntegrationBosch IndiaRobotics-based assembly precision and digital production monitoring tools


IDN (With Agency Inputs)