Bhubaneswar, October 5: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will visit Koraput on Tuesday (October 6) and inaugurate the milestone event marking the delivery of the 2,000th aero-engine by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Koraput Division.

The event will mark nearly six decades of HAL Koraput’s contribution to India’s aerospace and defence manufacturing capabilities and operational readiness of the Armed Forces.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Secretary (Defence Production) Sanjeev Kumar, and HAL Chief Managing Director Ravi K would attend the event, among others.

The event will also highlight the establishment of a second production line for Shakti engines, with an investment of Rs 218 crore. The additional capacity will support the growing requirements of indigenous helicopter platforms, including the Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter and Prachand Light Combat Helicopter.

The event underlines the Government’s vision of transforming India from a buyer of defence equipment into a designer, developer and manufacturer of defence systems. Building indigenous aero-engine capability is a critical component of this vision, given the strategic importance and technological complexity of propulsion systems.