Laying the foundation of Hindustan Aircraft Limited (HAL) at Banglore on 23 December 1940 by Seth Walchand Hirchand was termed as the stepping-stone in India’s aviation industry. The first flight of indigenously built HT-2 basic trainer on 5 August 1951 was a landmark event in the history of HAL. More and more achievements followed. But the maiden flight of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), on 4 January 2001, was the most important milestone, signifying India’s scientific capabilities and aerospace aspiration. However, in over sixty years of its existence, the aerospace industry (HAL) has turned out to be essentially a licence-manufacturer, with few indigenous exceptions. Although, it has met the need of the defence forces, mostly of the Indian Air Force, its external dependency was exposed after the disintegration of the Soviet Union and Pokhran II, when the LCA programme was threatened by the US sanction. With practically no investment in the civil aviation Sector, the nation continues to rely on the import of airliners, accessories and even maintenance. A robust indigenous aerospace industry with well-established core competencies is essential not only to build a nation’s defence capabilities but also to generate substantial off-shore earnings. This book attempts to analyse how India’s aerospace industry can be restructured and diversified to cope with the future challenges in aerospace technology and, more importantly, the business competition in the global market.
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