From Shakti, Aravalli to HTSE-1200: How India is developing its own desi helicopter engines from attack to cargo
The Rs 218 crore production line is expected to become fully operational by 2028-29 and will have the capacity to manufacture up to 100 Shakti engines annually. The engines currently power indigenous helicopter platforms including the Advanced Light Helicopter Dhruv and Light Combat Helicopter Prachand, and are also intended for the upcoming Light Utility Helicopter.
The expansion comes as India seeks to build greater control over the technologies, materials and manufacturing capabilities needed for aircraft propulsion. The Shakti programme represents a significant stage in that progression, while newer efforts such as the Aravalli and HTSE-1200 are aimed at taking India into higher power classes and towards greater indigenous design capability.
Singh congratulated the engineers, technicians and scientists involved in the milestone and called for Koraput to evolve into a broader aerospace propulsion ecosystem rather than remain focused only on engine manufacturing.
Also Read: Several Indian Navy officers under scanner as Operation Firewall 2026 uncovers Pakistan spy network across states
From licensed production to joint engine development
India’s progress in helicopter propulsion has unfolded over several decades, beginning with licensed production of foreign engine designs before moving towards joint development and indigenous engine programmes.
The Shakti engine represents the most mature modern helicopter-engine programme in this progression. India’s version of Safran’s Ardiden 1H1, the Shakti was jointly developed by HAL and Safran and designed to operate in demanding hot-and-high conditions. It currently powers the Dhruv, Rudra and Prachand helicopters.The programme builds on HAL’s earlier experience with foreign-origin engines. The company undertook licensed production of the Artouste III B for the Chetak and Cheetah helicopters, followed later by the TM333 for the Cheetal. While these programmes did not involve indigenous design of the core engines, they helped develop HAL’s manufacturing and overhaul capabilities.
Aravalli takes India into higher power class
The next stage of this evolution is the Aravalli, a more powerful turboshaft engine in the 3,500 to 4,000 shp class.
The engine is being jointly developed by HAL and Safran through their 50:50 SAFHAL venture. A final development and production contract was signed in August 2026.
The Aravalli is intended to power the Indian Multi-Role Helicopter and the naval Deck-Based Multi-Role Helicopter, taking India into a higher helicopter-engine power class.
At the same time, HAL’s Aero Engine Research and Development Centre is pursuing the HTSE-1200, which is aimed at developing a genuinely Indian-designed turboshaft engine for helicopters in the 3.5 to 6.5 tonne class. The programme, however, remains at the development stage.
India continues to maintain some foreign-origin engines domestically as well. These include the TM333 and the GE T700 engines used on Apache helicopters, although the engines are not manufactured locally.
Koraput’s decades-long engine legacy
The latest Shakti production line builds on the long engine-manufacturing history of HAL’s Koraput division, which was established in 1964.
The facility has supported India’s military aviation fleet over the decades and has worked on engines powering aircraft including the MiG-21, MiG-27, MiG-29 and Su-30MKI. It has overhauled more than 9,000 engines during its operations.
Singh also announced plans to increase HAL’s annual production capacity for AL-31FP engines used by the Su-30MKI from 30 to 50 units. The expansion will involve an investment of Rs 335 crore.
HAL received an order for 240 AL-31FP engines in 2024 and has so far delivered 63. The company has exceeded its second-year target of 60 engines despite continuing challenges involving supply chains and raw materials.
Indigenous propulsion becomes the next challenge
Singh described the aero-engine as the “heart” of an aircraft and stressed that mastering propulsion would be essential for India to fully exploit advances in airframes, weapons, radars and avionics.
The focus now extends beyond assembling or manufacturing engines to developing the materials, technologies and industrial capabilities needed to design and produce advanced propulsion systems domestically.
The defence minister highlighted the need to strengthen indigenous capabilities in superalloys, advanced materials, precision manufacturing and engine testing. He linked these efforts to the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft programme, for which a proposed investment of around Rs 5,000 crore has been cited.
The propulsion roadmap also includes indigenous raw-material development with MIDHANI and the establishment of India’s first indigenous high-thrust engine testing facility.
From licensed production of foreign designs to the Shakti programme and joint development of higher-power engines, India’s aerospace sector is gradually expanding its role from engine manufacturing towards design, development, materials and testing. The HTSE-1200 and future high-thrust propulsion efforts represent the next stage of that transition.
(With inputs from TOI)
