Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Civil Aviation Minister KRammohan Naidu attend HAL’s handover ceremony of Tejas trainers, HTT-40s and Dhruv NG helicopters in Bengaluru.
Updated: September 17, 2026, 8:04 PM IST
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HAL to hand over Tejas twin-seater, HTT-40 trainer aircraft to IAF tomorrow (IANS)
New Delhi: In a matter of good news for the Indian Air Force, state-owned aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is set to hand over Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Final Operational Clearance (FOC) twin-seater trainers and HTT-40 Basic Trainer Aircraft to the Indian Air Force (IAF), alongside Dhruv Next Generation (NG) helicopters to Pawan Hans Limited (PHL) at its facility in BengaluruThe ceremony will be attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Civil Aviation Minister KRammohan Naidu, underscoring the expanding civil and military capabilities of India’s domestic defense industrial base.
Platform Delivery Overview
| Platform / Aircraft | Recipient Agency | Primary Application / Strategic Role | Key Features & Specifications |
| LCA Tejas FOC Twin-Seater | Indian Air Force (IAF) | Advanced combat conversion & operational pilot training | Completes initial 40-aircraft Tejas Mk-1 order; two-seater variant with identical flying characteristics to combat jets. |
| HTT-40 Basic Trainer | Indian Air Force (IAF) | Ab-initio pilot training (aerobatics, instrument flying) | Powered by Honeywell turboprop engines; features air-conditioned glass cockpit and zero-zero ejection seats. |
| Dhruv Next Generation (NG) | Pawan Hans Limited (PHL) | Offshore transportation, VVIP transit, and air ambulance duties | Multi-role civil variant equipped with dual Shakti engines, digital cockpit and crashworthy seating. |
The government has accorded high priority to promoting indigenous design, development and manufacturing in the aerospace and defence sectorsThe induction of these platforms is another step towards strengthening the indigenous capabilities and reducing dependence on foreign sources, the statement said.
What is Hindustan Turbo Trainer (HTT)-40?
The Hindustan Turbo Trainer (HTT)-40 is a foundational trainer aircraft designed to meet primary training requirementsThis fully aerobatic tandem-seat turbo trainer has an air-conditioned cockpit, modern avionics, hot refuelling, quick pilot changeover and zero-zero ejection seatsBuilt around a proven turboprop engine, this aircraft is designed to have good low-speed handling qualities for better training effectiveness.
Also read: Why is India’s Tejas Mk-2 programme not ‘stirring’ just retired Indian Air Force Vice Chief?
The aircraft is fitted with a glass cockpit and indigenously developed avionics, including radio communication, standby communication, VOR-ILS, TACAN, radio altimeter, and Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) and Integrated Standby Instrument System (ISIS)The HTT-40 is powered by a Honeywell TPE331-12B Turboprop engine.
(With inputs from agencies)
