Engines
Safran and HAL Form Engine Joint Venture
Safran-HAL JV will produce helicopter engines for India's new multirole helicopter.
IMRH (Indian Multi-Role Helicopter)
The first project for Safran Helicopter Engines and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) joint venture will be the Indian Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) future 13-ton IMRH (Indian Multirole Helicopter). (Illustration: Safran)

Safran Helicopter Engines and India’s Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) have agreed to set up a joint-venture company in Bangalore to design, develop, produce, sell, and support helicopter engines, initially for the indigenously produced 13-ton Indian Multirole Helicopter and its naval variant, the Deck-Based Multirole Helicopter.  

The agreement follows existing partnerships between the two companies, including one that has produced more than 500 Shakti engines for HAL-produced helicopters such as the Dhruv, Rudra, and Light Combat Helicopter, as well as a helicopter MRO joint venture in Goa that supports the Shakti and its predecessor, the TM333. Negotiations between Safran and HAL to establish the joint venture came to light in 2022 with the signing of a related memorandum of understanding between the companies and the conclusion of a workshare agreement three months ago.