NEW DELHI: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has received the first set of wing assemblies for the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk1A from Larsen & Toubro (L&T). The ceremonial handover took place at L&T’s Precision Manufacturing & Systems Complex (PMSC) unit in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.
The event was graced virtually by Secretary (Defence Production) Sanjeev Kumar, who commended HAL and L&T for their collaborative efforts in building a strong indigenous ecosystem for defence production. He praised HAL for leading the integration of private sector suppliers and stressed the importance of reducing reliance on foreign sources.
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Receiving the wing assemblies on behalf of HAL was M Abdul Salam, General Manager of the LCA Tejas Division. The delivery marks a crucial step in accelerating the production of the LCA Mk1A — India’s flagship multirole combat aircraft developed under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) initiative.
HAL Chairman and Managing Director Dr. D.K. Sunil, present at the handover, highlighted the strategic importance of the partnership. Dr. Sunil emphasized that HAL’s engagement with a diverse supplier base, including both large firms and small and medium enterprises (SMEs), has helped create a parallel aircraft structural assembly line in the private sector. This initiative is expected to significantly augment the production capacity of the LCA Tejas program.
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Arun Ramchandani, Senior Vice President and Head of L&T Precision Engineering & Systems, detailed the company’s production goals. L&T will initially deliver four wing sets per year, with plans to scale up to 12 sets annually using advanced automated assembly processes. This scale-up is crucial as the Indian Air Force has placed a major order for 83 LCA Mk1A aircraft, demanding rapid and efficient production timelines.
The LCA Mk1A is a modernized variant of the indigenous Tejas fighter jet, featuring improved avionics, an AESA radar, air-to-air refueling capability, and enhanced operational range. It represents a significant step forward in India’s push to reduce imports and promote domestic manufacturing in the aerospace sector.
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So far, the HAL Tejas Division has collaborated with multiple Indian firms for various structural modules:
Lakshmi Machine Works: Air Intake Assemblies
Alpha Tocol: Rear Fuselage Assembly
Amphenol: Loom Assemblies
Tata Advanced Systems: Fin & Rudder Assemblies
VEM Technologies: Centre Fuselage Assembly
Larsen & Toubro: Wing Assemblies
This integrated network of suppliers demonstrates the rising capabilities of India’s private sector in high-end defence manufacturing.
The event marks a turning point in public-private collaboration under the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020 and the government’s broader push for Aatmanirbharta in Defence, reaffirming India’s commitment to developing a robust and resilient defence industrial base.
