In a major push for the Aatmanirbhar Bharat mission, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to supply 240 AL-31FP engines for Su-30MKI fighter jets. The contract, worth over Rs 26,000 crore, was signed on September 9, in New Delhi. Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane and Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, Chief of the Air Staff, were present at the signing.

These engines are vital for keeping the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) Su-30MKI jets in operation. HAL will build the engines at its Koraput facility and deliver 30 engines each year, with the entire order to be completed in eight years. This will help ensure that the IAF remains combat-ready.

As part of the project, HAL will collaborate with India’s defence manufacturing network, including small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) as well as public and private companies. By the end of the project, HAL aims to increase the use of local components to 63%, with an average of 54%. This will also improve the repair and maintenance of these engines using more Indian-made parts.