Antony asks HAL to work on passenger aircraft

New Delhi, Jun 5 (UNI) Defence Minister A K Antony has asked Defence major Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd to start working on design and development of a passenger aircraft.

Reviewing the performance and perspective plan of HAL here, the minister lamented that so far no capabilities have been built in India to desigtn and develop passenger aircraft.

The HAL had been working on projects, including Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT), Advance Light Helicopter (ALH), medium transport aircraft and Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft.

the hal sales have doubled to Rs 8350 crore in the last three years and the gross margin has more than doubled to Rs 2596 crore in the same period.

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