Rajnath Singh Lays Foundation for Shakti Engine Facility at HAL Sunabeda
Sunabeda (Odisha): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday visited the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) facility at Sunabeda in Odisha’s Koraput district and laid the foundation stone for a new Shakti engine production facility, marking a significant step towards strengthening India’s indigenous defence manufacturing capabilities.
The Defence Minister was received by Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and senior government officials during his visit to the strategically important HAL unit.
The upcoming facility, being established with an investment of approximately ₹218 crore, will manufacture Shakti helicopter engines that power India’s Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv and the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) Prachand.
The initiative is expected to enhance domestic production capacity and contribute significantly to the country’s defence preparedness.
During the visit, Rajnath Singh also reviewed various operations at the HAL Koraput Division, including aero-engine manufacturing and maintenance activities related to the Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter aircraft programme.
A key highlight of the event was the celebration of HAL Koraput Division’s 2,000th aero-engine delivery milestone.
The achievement reflects the unit’s longstanding contribution to India’s aerospace and defence ecosystem over several decades.
The foundation of the new Shakti engine facility aligns with the Centre’s vision of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and underscores the government’s commitment to self-reliance in defence production.
The project is expected to strengthen India’s aerospace manufacturing infrastructure while generating economic opportunities in the Koraput region.
