HYDERABAD: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Chairman and Managing Director, DK Sunil, on Wednesday announced that the government-owned helicopter company, Pawan Hans Limited, will be purchasing ten of its Dhruv Next Generation (NG) aircraft in the near future.
Speaking to the media on the first day of the aviation meet, 'Wings India 2026’, which began at Begumpet airport on Wednesday, Sunil said that HAL wanted to make a mark in the civilian aircraft sector, the MD said, “Our civilian footprint has been very small in our portfolio. Almost 97% of our footprint has been in the defence manufacturing side. But as a corporate policy, over the last few years we have made a conscious decision that we need to diversify away from Defence and increase the component of the civil in our sales.”
HAL was set to get the certification of the civil variant of the Dhruv NG helicopters. "It is a Third Generation Aircraft with a glass cockpit and an engine which is manufactured by the HAL. Recently, we flew the first flight during a function which was graced by the Union Minister for Civil Aviation and we expect to complete the certification in the next couple of months.
“Our first customer will be Pawan Hans Limited and they are picking ten helicopters. This is going to be our first big order for the Group NG. Pawan Hans wlll deploy the NG aircraft for the offshore operations of ONGC between Mumbai and Bombay High from the 2026-2027 financial year,” the Chairman added.
The aircraft features numerous built-in safety systems, including terrain awareness, and its engine is civil certified. “We see a great opportunity for this helicopter in the BSF (Border Security Force) in the heli-tourism in the Northern sector for evacuation on the highways and so on. “
HAL has also obtained Civil Certification of its Dornier 228, which is the mainstay of India’s navy, airforce and coast guard for their applications, he informed.
“We have got it recertified as Hindustan 228. The certification was issued by the DGCA.” The ten deliveries will happen in the financial year 2026-2027, he said.
Two such aircraft have been supplied to Guyana already and they are flying it in the West Indies. “We have signed the contract for two more just recently. and this will take the number to four.“
Stating that the aircraft was versatile and suitable for islands, Sunil said, “We can see good business there in the West Indies and the archipelago areas like Malaysia, Indonesia and so on.”
Elaborating on the SJ-100 aircraft presently showcased in Wings India, he said it was a world-class one.
“It is filling up the gap for a 100-seater for short-range, regional operations. We are going to start manufacturing this aircraft within the next three years."
Responding to media queries in connection with the recurring demand for the reopening of the HAL airport for domestic commercial operations, Sunil said, “Due to the concessionaire agreement with the Bangalore International Airport Limited that does not permit operations of any other airport within a 150-km radius, we will not be able to open our airport until 2033, when their 15-year agreement concludes.”
“We are not even seriously considering the matter,” he added.