TUMAKURU – Indian prime minister Narendra Modi on Monday inauguratedcountry’s largest helicopter factory – the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited –in the southwestern state of Karnataka.
The facility in Tumakuru district has capacity to produce more than 1,000helicopters that would strengthen the country’s defence. The developmentcomes after Indian announced double-digit increase in a latest defence pushlast week.
The factory, spread across 615 acres for which Modi laid the foundationstone in 2016, would initially manufacture Light Utility Helicopters (LUH),the Indian media reported.
India is one of the largest arms importers in the world and, even with itsrecent push towards local defence production, still relies heavily onhardware from Moscow, its largest and oldest military supplier.
Addressing the inauguration ceremony, he said the helicopter factoryfulfilled the government’s promise to reduce dependence on foreigncountries for its defence needs. He said modern weapons, including rifles,tanks, aircraft carriers and others were now being produced in India.
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The factory in southern Karnataka state was unveiled months after Indianinaugurated its locally made attack helicopters that can be used inhigh-altitude areas.
India also rolled out its first locally made aircraft carrier in September2022 in a bid to counter China’s growing presence in the Indian Oceanregion.
