SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure | SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
Institutions: Ministry of Defence
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh has inaugurated the third Production Line of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk1A and the second Production Line of the Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40 (HTT-40) at the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Nashik facility on October 17, 2025. The Minister flagged-off the first LCA Mk1A produced at the facility, describing the aircraft as a symbol of India’s growing Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) in defense.
Singh noted that annual defence production has surged from ₹46,429 crore in 2014-15 to over ₹1.50 lakh crore in 2024-25, with exports reaching a record high of ₹25,000 crore. The government has set ambitious new targets to increase defense manufacturing to ₹3 lakh crore and exports to ₹50,000 crore by 2029. The expansion, which boosted HAL’s total LCA capacity to 24 aircraft per year, resulted from Govt-Industry-Academia synergy, created around 1,000 jobs, and leveraged over 40 industry partners.
This factory expansion and the corresponding increase in production capacity are crucial for reducing India’s reliance on imported defense hardware from 65% (2014) to achieving 100% domestic manufacturing capability, thus enhancing strategic autonomy and job creation.
What are the LCA Tejas Mk1A and HTT-40 aircraft?→ The LCA Tejas Mk1A is an indigenous, state-of-the-art light combat fighter jet designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency and produced by HAL for the Indian Air Force. The HTT-40 (Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40) is a fully indigenous basic trainer aircraft, also designed and developed by HAL, used for the stage-one training of Indian Air Force pilots.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: What specific incentives and streamlined regulatory processes will be implemented to attract the necessary private sector investment to achieve the aggressive ₹3 lakh crore manufacturing target by 2029?
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