Bengaluru, 30th December 2025:

Taking a significant leap in rotor wing sector, HAL while celebrating its 86 years of innovation and excellence has shaped the Indian aeronautical and defence industry with many first in both civil and military aviation.

Today, the Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu inaugurated the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) DHRUV-NG, the next-generation civil helicopter, at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Bengaluru. The indigenous helicopter was also showcased by HAL at the 2025 Aero India show in Bengaluru this year in February. The event witnessed presence of HAL Chairman and Managing Director Dr DK Sunil.

Ram Mohan Naidu shared on his social media handle, “Honoured to flag off a defining lift-off for India’s civil aviation ecosystem. The inaugural test flight of HAL’s Advanced Light Civil Helicopter ‘Dhruv NG’ marks a major Atmanirbharta milestone. A Made-in-India rotary-wing for civil and commercial operations is a proud testament to our indigenous engineering capability. It reflects India’s strength to design, develop and manufacture world-class helicopters.”

He further added, “ Under the visionary leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Ji, India has moved decisively from ‘Import Dependency’ to ‘Indigenous Reliability’.Dhruv with the indigenous Shakti engine reinforces our rise as a reliable global aviation manufacturing hub.”

DHRUV-NG Capabilities

As per the details shared by HAL, the DHRUV-NG is a 5.5-tonne light, twin-engine, multi-role helicopter designed to meet the diverse and demanding conditions of Indian terrain. The platform has been upgraded to cater to the stringent requirements of the global civil aviation market. The helicopter has been engineered with a focus on enhanced safety, performance, and passenger comfort, marking a significant milestone in India’s indigenous rotary-wing capabilities. It is powered by twin Shakti 1H1C engines that deliver higher power ratings and allow internal maintenance within India.

HAL stated that the DHRUV-NG features a civil-certified glass cockpit compliant with AS4 requirements and a modern avionics suite that provides superior situational awareness. Advanced vibration-control systems ensure a smooth ride, making it suitable for VIP transport and medical evacuation missions. With a maximum take-off weight of 5,500 kg and a top speed of 285 km/h, the helicopter can carry up to 14 passengers.

The Dhruv Civil NG is positioned as a cost-effective, high-performance alternative to imported light twin-engine helicopters. HAL also offers a “One-Stop Solution” covering manufacturing, maintenance, and upgrades. Operational support is provided through integrated logistics models such as Power-By-Hour (PBH) and Performance-Based Logistics (PBL), aimed at ensuring high fleet serviceability.