Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) faces significant setbacks in its gas turbine engine development program, as highlighted in a comprehensive review by the Committee on Public Undertakings (CPU), reported Meghna Mittal of Money Control.

The panel, in its Twenty-Sixth Report presented to Parliament in December 2025, has cautioned against persistent delays stemming from slow approvals for essential testing infrastructure. These hurdles threaten to undermine India's ambitions for self-reliance in strategic aerospace systems.

HAL is developing two key aero-engines under the program: a 25 kilonewton engine designed for Intermediate Jet Trainer-class aircraft and a turboshaft engine for helicopters. Sanctioned at a cost of ₹441.41 crore, the project has seen Stage-II drag on since 2018 without any sign of completion.

The CPU attributes these delays to procurement bottlenecks, failure to secure critical components on time, and prolonged issues with test-bed construction approvals.

Land clearance problems have compounded the challenges, with bureaucratic inefficiencies adding over three years to the project timeline. As a result, HAL has been forced to write off ₹159.23 crore in unrecoverable costs. The committee reiterated concerns first raised in its Tenth Report, emphasising time and cost overruns due to administrative delays.

The Defence Ministry has acknowledged the complexities involved, noting that HAL proactively undertook the R&D to foster self-reliance. Critical components for these engines are being designed and developed domestically for the first time, leading to redesign delays.

Material research is underway through the Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL) under DRDO and Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited (MIDHANI), with HAL placing orders worth ₹757.82 crore on the latter.

Despite these efforts, the CPU criticised the ministry for lacking a clear roadmap on critical testing infrastructure. HAL has partnered with DRDO, MIDHANI, and global engine makers, including its joint venture SAFHAL with Safran Helicopter Engines. However, the panel described the ministry's responses as interim, with the core issue of dedicated test-bed facilities remaining unresolved.

The committee stressed that a mere gap analysis of ground testing facilities—currently in progress—is insufficient. It desires the Ministry of Defence to expedite a definitive action plan, complete with clear timelines and funding arrangements. Without urgent operationalisation of the long-pending test-bed, the programme risks further erosion of indigenisation goals under Atmanirbhar Bharat.

International engine technologies remain closely guarded, with very few countries possessing matured gas turbine manufacturing capabilities that they willingly transfer. This underscores the strategic importance of HAL's indigenous push, even amid setbacks. The CPU has directed the ministry to furnish final action-taken replies expeditiously and keep the committee informed of progress.

Chaired by Baijayant Panda, the CPU comprises senior MPs from both Houses, including Tariq Anwar, Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, Milind Deora, John Brittas, and Bhagwat Karad. Their report pulls up the ministry for failing to address long-pending gaps in test-bed facilities, which are crucial for engine certification and development.

These delays not only inflate costs but also jeopardise broader defence modernisation efforts. HAL's programme represents a pivotal step towards reducing import dependence in aero-engines, a domain where India has historically lagged. Resolving test-bed approvals swiftly could unlock progress and bolster national security imperatives.

The ministry's ongoing gap analysis offers a starting point, yet the CPU insists on transformative action. With procurement hurdles and land issues now in the spotlight, stakeholders await concrete measures to salvage the timeline. This episode highlights enduring challenges in India's defence R&D ecosystem, where administrative agility remains as critical as technological prowess.

Based On Money Control Report