Defence Ministry Signs Rs 26,000-Crore Contract With HAL For 240 Sukhoi Engines

The Ministry of Defence has signed a Rs 26,000-crore contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. for 240 AL-31FP Aero Engines for Su-30MKI aircraft. These aero engines will be produced by the Koraput division of HAL.

The contract was inked in the presence of Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane and Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, in New Delhi on Monday, according to a press release.

These aero engines are expected to fulfil the need of the Indian Air Force to sustain the operational capability of the Su-30 fleet for the defence preparedness of the country.

HAL will supply 30 aero engines per annum as per the contractual delivery schedule. The supply of all 240 engines would be completed over the next eight years.

HAL plans to take support from the country’s defence manufacturing ecosystem, involving MSMEs and public and private industries. By the end of the delivery programme, HAL will enhance the indigenisation content up to 63% to achieve an average of over 54%, the Ministry of Defence said in the release. This would also help increase the indigenous content of repair and overhaul tasks of the aero engines, it said.