Defence exports have witnessed a major uptick, with India set to sell fighter aircraft and helicopters to Argentina, Egypt, and the Philippines. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Chairman and Managing Director CB Ananthakrishnan revealed on Tuesday that the PSU is sitting on a book order of ₹84,000 crore and waiting for another ₹50,000 crore worth of projects to materialise.

At Aero India 2023, CB Ananthakrishnan said Argentina, Egypt, and the Philippines have shown an interest in HAL’s Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas. According to him, HAL has offered 15 LCA Mk-1 to Argentina, 20 LCAs to Egypt, and six helicopters to the Philippines.

“The country has been able to generate a lot of interest in the global aerospace market, and sooner or later, we will achieve a breakthrough order,” HAL chief said while addressing a press conference.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his inaugural address at Aero India on Monday, said the government aims to more than triple defence exports to over $5 billion. 

Malaysia orders

In response to a question about the status of engagement with Malaysia, Ananthakrishnan said that the talks in this context have suffered a “slight setback.”

“We have not received anything in black and white... But we are hearing that the Koreans may get the order,” the HAL chief replied. But, as per him, HAL has not given up and is “making all-out attempts to push through our product.”

Aero India Pavillion

At the HAL pavilion, the government-owned company had displayed Tejas fighter jets as well as different versions of its helicopters, such as the LUH and ALH, to showcase them before visiting foreign delegates, especially to 32 defence ministers and 29 air chiefs from friendly countries who might be potential buyers. The indigenously made air platforms also demonstrated several maneuvers before Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, which was the first day of the five-day-long air show at Yelahanka Indian Air Force Station.

‘Comfortable position’

Ananthakrishnan indicated that the public sector undertaking’s financials are strong. “We are in a comfortable position today with an order of ₹84,000 crore we are sitting on and orders in the pipeline of about ₹50,000 crore.”

To boost confidence among foreign delegates, India Air Force Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari flew an LCA SPT aircraft on the opening day of Aero India 2023. At Asia’s biggest air show, India is aggressively pushing indigenous defence products. Homegrown private companies have displayed their products in a big way to showcase opportunities and developments in the sunrise defence sector.

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