HAL and Safran Finalize Aravalli Turboshaft Development Contract

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and Safran Helicopter Engines said they signed a final contract on August 26 with their SAFHAL Helicopter Engines joint venture to design, develop, manufacture, supply and support the Aravalli turboshaft. The announced engine falls in the 3,500–4,000 shaft-horsepower class and is intended for HAL’s future medium-lift rotorcraft.

According to Safran, Aravalli has been selected for the 13-ton Indian Multi-Role Helicopter, or IMRH, and the Deck-Based Multi-Role Helicopter naval variant, DBMRH. The agreement was signed by HAL engineering and R&D director Ajay Kumar Shrivastava and SAFHAL director Olivier Savin, in the presence of the companies’ senior leadership.

SAFHAL is the HAL–Safran Helicopter Engines venture assigned to the programme. Safran describes Aravalli as a new engine rather than an existing powerplant derivative and says the work will cover testing, manufacturing methods and lifecycle support. No certification schedule, first-run date, production timeline or programme value was announced.

Why it matters

Why it matters: A domestic development path for a high-power turboshaft addresses a key dependency in India’s planned medium-lift helicopter family. The contract moves Aravalli from a stated programme objective into contracted development, but its flight and service outcomes remain future milestones. Safran also says potential civil uses and Indian maintenance capability are prospective, not committed deployments.

Sources: Safran — HAL and Safran Helicopter Engines sign final contract with SAFHAL, launching development and production of the Aravalli engine; Airframer — HAL and Safran finalise Aravalli engine deal; AeroMorning — Aravalli: Safran and HAL to build 3,500–4,000 shp engine