India Expands Shakti Engine Production to Power Dhruv and Prachand Helicopters
India is strengthening its indigenous aerospace manufacturing capabilities with a major expansion of Shakti helicopter engine production at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s (HAL) Koraput facility in Odisha. A second production line for the engine will be established with an investment of ₹218 crore, with capacity expected to reach up to 100 engines annually by 2028-29.
The expansion comes as India increases production of indigenous helicopters, particularly the Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter and the Prachand Light Combat Helicopter. The move is also part of a wider effort to develop a stronger domestic ecosystem for aircraft and helicopter propulsion.
Second Shakti Engine Line to Boost Production
The new production line is expected to provide additional capacity for the Shakti engine, which powers several variants of India's Dhruv helicopter family and is also used by the Prachand light combat helicopter.
The announcement was made on October 6, 2026, when Defence Minister Rajnath Singh attended an event marking HAL Koraput's delivery of its 2,000th aero-engine. The new line is intended to ensure that indigenous helicopter programmes have a more reliable and scalable supply of engines as production increases.
For India's helicopter manufacturing plans, engine availability is particularly important because propulsion systems are among the most complex components of an aircraft. Expanding production capacity can help strengthen the domestic supply chain while supporting the long-term maintenance and upgrade requirements of the armed forces.
Prachand Programme Drives Growing Demand
The expansion of Shakti engine production comes alongside the large-scale induction of the Prachand light combat helicopter into the Indian Armed Forces. In March 2025, the Ministry of Defence signed contracts worth ₹62,700 crore with HAL for 156 Prachand helicopters. The Indian Air Force is scheduled to receive 66 helicopters, while the Indian Army will receive 90. Deliveries are planned to begin from the third year and continue over five years.
Designed for high-altitude operations, Prachand can operate at altitudes above 5,000 metres. The programme is planned to achieve more than 65% indigenous content and involves more than 250 domestic companies, largely MSMEs. According to the Defence Ministry, the programme is expected to generate more than 8,500 direct and indirect employment opportunities.
This growing production programme makes the expansion of domestic engine capacity particularly significant, as a larger helicopter fleet will require a dependable supply of engines, spares and lifecycle support.
HAL Koraput Reaches a Major Milestone
The Shakti production expansion coincides with a significant milestone at HAL Koraput, which has now delivered its 2,000th aero-engine. The Koraput division has been involved in India's aerospace and defence manufacturing ecosystem for nearly six decades. Over the years, the facility has produced and supported engines associated with several military aircraft programmes, building expertise in manufacturing, maintenance, repair and overhaul.
The latest milestone highlights the importance of Koraput as a major centre for India's military propulsion capabilities. The facility is also expanding production of the AL-31FP engine used by the Su-30MKI fighter aircraft. Its annual production capacity is being increased from 30 to 50 engines with an investment of ₹335 crore.
Focus Shifts Towards Advanced Propulsion
India's aerospace ambitions increasingly depend on developing capabilities beyond airframe manufacturing. Aero-engine technology requires specialised expertise in areas such as high-temperature materials, precision manufacturing, combustion systems, turbines, testing and lifecycle maintenance.
The expansion of the Shakti production line is therefore part of a broader effort to strengthen India's propulsion ecosystem. Alongside manufacturing existing engines, India is also working towards developing more advanced indigenous propulsion technologies.
The Defence Ministry has announced that an indigenous high-thrust aero-engine programme is being pursued with an investment of around ₹5,000 crore. The objective is to strengthen domestic capabilities in the design, development, testing and manufacturing of advanced aero-engines.
HAL and Safran Expand Future Helicopter Engine Cooperation
India's helicopter propulsion efforts are also moving towards the development of newer-generation engines. HAL and French aerospace company Safran have expanded their cooperation through the Aravalli helicopter engine programme.
HAL's official information shows that the two companies signed the final contract in August 2026 through their joint venture SAFHAL for the development and production of the Aravalli engine. The programme is expected to contribute to India's future helicopter propulsion requirements while building additional industrial and technological capabilities.
The development of future engines alongside increased production of existing systems could gradually strengthen India's position across different stages of the aerospace propulsion supply chain.
Strengthening the Indigenous Aerospace Ecosystem
The expansion at Koraput is not limited to increasing engine numbers. It also has the potential to strengthen India's wider aerospace manufacturing network by creating opportunities for domestic suppliers, MSMEs and specialised engineering companies.
The Prachand programme already involves hundreds of Indian companies, while the broader defence manufacturing ecosystem is increasingly incorporating private industry and smaller technology firms. Such participation can help develop expertise in precision components, materials, electronics and specialised manufacturing processes required for modern propulsion systems. With helicopter production expanding and new engine programmes taking shape, the demand for domestic capabilities is likely to increase across the entire supply chain.
The MGMM Outlook
The expansion of Shakti engine production at HAL’s Koraput facility marks another important step in strengthening India’s indigenous aerospace manufacturing capabilities. With a second production line backed by a ₹218 crore investment and capacity expected to reach up to 100 engines annually by 2028-29, the facility can support the growing requirements of the Dhruv and Prachand helicopter programmes. The milestone of HAL Koraput delivering its 2,000th aero-engine further reflects the facility’s expanding role in India’s defence propulsion ecosystem.
The development also fits into a wider push to build domestic capabilities across the aerospace supply chain, from engine manufacturing and maintenance to advanced propulsion technologies. The expansion of AL-31FP production, the HAL-Safran Aravalli engine programme and work towards a high-thrust indigenous aero-engine indicate a broader effort to strengthen technological expertise and industrial capacity. As India’s helicopter and aircraft programmes grow, reliable domestic engine production can provide stronger supply-chain resilience while creating greater opportunities for Indian manufacturers, MSMEs and specialised engineering firms.
(Sources: Hindustan Times, Firstpost, India Today)
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