HAL bags order worth ₹8,000 cr for supply of 34 advanced light helicopters

State-run defence manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) has bagged an order worth ₹8,000 crore from the government, for the supply of 34 advanced light helicopters (ALH) Dhruv Mk III, the company said in a regulatory filing on Thursday, March 14.

Of these, 25 ALHs will be supplied to the Indian Army, whereas, 9 will be supplied to the Indian Coast Guard. The acquisition marks a “significant move towards indigenisation in defence manufacturing,” the Ministry of Defence said.

The “ALH Dhruv Mk III UT (Utility),” the version of the chopper that would be supplied to the Indian Army, is designed for various purposes including search and rescue, troop transportation, internal cargo, recce and casualty evacuation. It has proven to be effective in high-altitude regions like Siachen Glacier and Ladakh, the release noted.

Meanwhile, the “ALH Mk III MR (Maritime Role)”, which would be supplied to the Indian Coast Guard, is designed for executing tasks such as maritime surveillance, rappelling operations, pollution response and medical casualty evacuation, among others.

The execution of the government’s 34 ALH order is expected to “generate employment of an estimated 190 lakh man-hours during its duration,” the release said.

It will also entail supply of equipment from more than 200 MSMEs, and 70 local vendors will be “involved in the indigenisation process which is likely to have a positive impact on employment generation in this sector,” it added.

Following the announcement of the AHL order, HAL’s stock edged higher. The shares were trading at ₹3,103 apiece on the NSE at 10:30 pm, up 2% as against the previous day’s close.

In the quarter ended December 2023, HAL had reported a net profit of ₹1,261 crore, higher by 9% as against the year-ago period. The company’s revenue rose 7% on-year to ₹6,061 crore.