BENGALURU, Sep 18: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday called for the creation of an integrated aerospace ecosystem capable of meeting the requirements of both civil and military aviation, stressing that indigenous technology would be critical as the nature of warfare continues to evolve.
Addressing a ceremony at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Singh said India must strengthen its domestic capabilities across the aerospace sector through closer cooperation between the public and private sectors.
The Defence Minister was speaking at an event where Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas twin-seater trainers and Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40 (HTT-40) basic trainer aircraft were handed over to the Indian Air Force, while Dhruv Next Generation helicopters were handed over to Pawan Hans Limited.
Singh said the country needs an ecosystem that can effectively serve both civil and military aviation requirements. He emphasised that the rapid transformation of warfare has made the development of indigenous technologies increasingly important.
He also called for greater public-private cooperation, saying government owned defence enterprises and private companies should complement rather than compete with each other. According to Singh, stronger collaboration would help accelerate the development of next-generation aerospace capabilities within the country.
The Defence Minister identified artificial intelligence, autonomous and unmanned systems, electronic warfare, cyber technologies and advanced propulsion as key areas that would shape the future of aerospace and defence. He stressed that these technologies should be developed and integrated domestically.
Singh also highlighted the importance of research and development, urging scientists, engineers, designers, test pilots and technicians to work on technologies that are not currently available and could address future operational requirements.
He said India must develop capabilities that would strengthen its position in the global aerospace technology landscape over the next decade. The handover ceremony, he added, represented an important step towards technological self-confidence and greater self-reliance in aerospace manufacturing.
Singh said India was moving steadily towards self-reliance in defence production, with the government encouraging both Defence Public Sector Undertakings and private industry to expand their role in the sector.
He said the Ministry of Defence had taken measures to create opportunities for DPSUs while also ensuring a level playing field for private companies.
At the same time, Singh cautioned that the development of sophisticated aerospace systems could not be achieved through a sudden transformation. He described the sector as a complex and gradual process requiring progress across a wide range of components and technologies.
“There can be no sudden ‘big bang’ in the development of aerospace systems,” Singh said, emphasising the need to move forward systematically and address challenges as part of a long-term roadmap.
He further said that a strong domestic aerospace industry should not focus exclusively on defence requirements. Capabilities developed in areas such as aircraft design, avionics, propulsion, composite materials, flight control systems, manufacturing and certification could contribute to the wider aerospace sector.
Singh called for an integrated ecosystem capable of achieving self-reliance across the entire aerospace value chain. He expressed confidence that collective efforts by government institutions, industry, researchers and other stakeholders could help achieve this objective.
Highlighting the changing character of warfare, the Defence Minister said future air operations would increasingly depend on information, advanced technology and rapid decision-making.
He noted that combat effectiveness would require a combination of well trained personnel, sophisticated technologies, integrated systems and the ability to respond quickly to emerging situations.
Singh said the LCA FOC Trainer would play an important role in preparing pilots for such an operational environment. He described the Dhruv-NG as an example of India’s indigenous civil aerospace capabilities and the LCA trainer as a symbol of progress in military aerospace and the country’s fighter aircraft ecosystem.
Speaking about the HTT-40, Singh noted that India had traditionally depended on imported aircraft for basic pilot training requirements. The indigenous production of the trainer by HAL, he said, would help meet the requirements of the Indian Air Force while also creating opportunities in international markets.
The Defence Minister expressed confidence that the HTT-40 could attract overseas demand and contribute to the expansion of India’s aerospace manufacturing capabilities.
Singh also stressed the importance of adhering to realistic timelines in aerospace and defence projects. He warned that delays could create gaps in critical defence requirements, increase costs and raise the risk of technologies becoming obsolete.
He urged Defence Public Sector Undertakings to expand their capabilities across the aerospace value chain, covering design and development, manufacturing, certification, lifecycle support and global marketing.
Singh said sustained progress in these areas would be essential for building a robust and globally competitive aerospace sector and strengthening India’s long-term technological capabilities.