PM Modi to inaugurate India's largest helicopter production facility in Karnataka on Feb 6

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate a greenfield helicopter production facility of state-run aerospace behemoth Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Karnataka's Tumakuru that will initially produce light utility helicopters (LUHs).

The defence ministry billed the 615-acre factory as India's largest helicopter-manufacturing facility and it has been planned as a one-stop solution for the country's chopper requirements.

Officials said the HAL plans to produce more than 1,000 helicopters in the range of three to 15 tonnes, with a total business of more than Rs 4 lakh crore over a period of 20 years.

The facility will be augmented to produce other helicopters such as light combat helicopters (LCHs) and Indian multirole helicopters (IMRHs). It will also be used for the maintenance, repair and overhaul of LCHs, LUHs, civil advanced light helicopters (ALHs) and IMRHs in the future, the officials said.

In yet another step towards Aatmanirbharta in defence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will dedicate to the nation a helicopter factory of the HAL in Tumakuru, Karnataka on February 6, the defence ministry said in a statement.

It is India's largest helicopter-manufacturing facility and will initially produce LUHs, it said. The LUH is an indigenously designed and developed three-tonne class, single-engine multipurpose utility helicopter with unique features of high manoeuvrability.