HAL Delivers 2,000th Aero-Engine: HAL has reached an important milestone at its Koraput Division in Odisha. On October 6, 2026, the facility delivered its 2,000th aero-engine in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The achievement comes nearly six decades after the Koraput unit was set up and marks an important step in India’s defence manufacturing journey.
HAL Koraput was established in 1964 at Sunabeda, Odisha. Over the years, it has worked on engines used by several Indian fighter aircraft. These include the MiG-21, MiG-27, MiG-29 and Su-30MKI. The facility has also overhauled more than 9,000 aero-engines, helping keep military aircraft in service.
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Second Shakti Engine Production Line At HAL Koraput
One of the biggest announcements at the event was the plan for a second production line for Shakti helicopter engines. The project will get an investment of ₹218 crore and is expected to become fully operational by 2028-29.
Once ready, the new line will be able to make up to 100 Shakti engines every year. The engines are used in important Indian helicopters such as:
- Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv
- Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) Prachand
- Light Utility Helicopter (LUH)
The Shakti engine is made through cooperation between HAL and French aerospace company Safran. More production will help meet the growing needs of India’s helicopter fleet.
Su-30MKI Engine Production To Rise
HAL is also increasing the production of AL-31FP engines. These engines power the Indian Air Force’s Su-30MKI fighter jets.
At present, HAL can produce around 30 AL-31FP engines each year. This will be increased to 50 engines annually with an investment of about ₹335 crore. The expansion comes as India works to support its Su-30MKI fleet. HAL has already delivered 63 AL-31FP engines under the current programme, ahead of schedule. The government has ordered 240 engines.
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Rajnath Singh said India needs to build stronger capabilities across the complete aero-engine sector. This includes:
- Design
- Development
- Testing
- Manufacturing
- Maintenance
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The Defence Minister also stressed that engine technology is very important for defence self-reliance. India is also working on an indigenous high-thrust engine programme with an investment of around ₹5,000 crore. The larger goal is to reduce dependence on foreign technology and build engines for future aircraft such as the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).
The 2,000th engine from Koraput therefore comes at a time when India is trying to expand its ability to make and maintain the engines needed for fighter jets and helicopters inside the country.
