State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and French aerospace major Safran Helicopter Engines have signed a contract to jointly develop the Aravalli engine, a key step in India's effort to build powerful indigenous engines for its next generation of military helicopters.
The 3,500 to 4,000 shaft horsepower-class engine will power HAL's planned 13-tonne Indian Multi-Role Helicopter (IMRH) and its naval variant, the 12.5-tonne Deck-Based Multi-Role Helicopter (DBMRH). The contract covers the design, development, manufacture, supply and lifecycle support of the engine.
Equal Partnership For Aravalli
The Aravalli will be developed and produced by SAFHAL Helicopter Engines Pvt Ltd, a 50:50 joint venture between HAL and Safran Helicopter Engines, Safran's rotorcraft engine arm. Production is planned at HAL's facility in Tumakuru, Karnataka.
The signing marks the start of the engine's development and production phase, with work to be divided equally between HAL and Safran. HAL has a dual role in the programme as both a shareholder in SAFHAL and the customer for the engine as the helicopter manufacturer, TNIE reports.
A Push For Engine Self-Reliance
HAL Chairman and Managing Director Ravi K described the contract as a "significant step forward" in India's pursuit of self-reliance in aero-engine technology.
Safran Helicopter Engines CEO Olivier Andries said the programme marked a new chapter in the strategic relationship between India and France. It is also Safran's first co-development programme for an engine in this power class.
The significance of the deal goes beyond supplying engines for two new helicopters. Access to critical engine technologies has long-term importance for India's aerospace ambitions, and the programme could help build domestic expertise in an area that requires sophisticated engineering capabilities.
Safran Deepens India Footprint
The agreement further strengthens Safran's growing aerospace and defence presence in India. The French company is already the largest supplier of helicopter engines to the Indian armed forces, with more than 1,200 engines in service.
Its Shakti engine, co-developed with HAL and derived from the Ardiden 1H1, powers the Dhruv, Prachand and Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) and is produced in Bengaluru.
Safran has also expanded into aircraft-engine maintenance in India. In November last year, it inaugurated a $200 million LEAP engine overhaul facility in Hyderabad, its largest such centre globally. It also began work on an overhaul facility for the Rafale's M88 engine, its first outside France.
Indian Engineers To Gain Critical Know-How
The Aravalli programme is expected to give HAL access to critical engine technologies, including the high-pressure compressor, power turbine, accessory gearbox and fuel and oil systems.
Indian engineers will work alongside Safran teams during development. The engine's design and development are targeted for completion by 2032-33.
The arrangement is particularly important because it combines technology access with direct participation by Indian engineers. If the programme proceeds as planned, the experience gained during development could prove as valuable as the engine itself for HAL's future helicopter programmes.
Helicopters Still Await Government Clearance
The engine development contract comes even as the IMRH and DBMRH projects themselves await formal government clearance. The two helicopter programmes are yet to receive acceptance of necessity and approval from the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS). HAL is funding preparatory work from its own resources.
The IMRH is intended to eventually replace the Indian military's fleet of more than 240 Russian-origin Mi-17 helicopters as they begin retiring in the early 2030s. HAL is targeting the rollout of the first IMRH prototype in 2028 and certification by 2031.
This makes the Aravalli programme an important piece of a much larger plan. While work on the engine is moving ahead, the timelines for the helicopters it is intended to power will also depend on the required government clearances.
Another Safran Engine Proposal Awaits Nod
Safran has another major engine proposal in India that remains pending. The company has proposed a joint venture with the Defence Research and Development Organisation's (DRDO) Gas Turbine Research Establishment to co-develop a 120-kN-class engine for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) Mk2 fighter.
That proposal is still awaiting clearance from the CCS.
