Exclusive: HAL's Indian Multi-Role Helicopter May Soon Get CCS Approval for ₹13,500 Crore Design Development Plan: Sources
Key Takeaways
- •The proposed ₹13,500 crore allocation for the IMRH program has been cleared by the costing committee and now awaits consideration by the Cabinet Committee on Security.
- •The IMRH is a medium-lift utility helicopter in the 11–13 tonne class designed to replace aging ALH Dhruv and Russian-origin Mi-17 helicopters across the Indian armed forces.
- •The helicopter is being developed by state-owned HAL with private industry partners and is intended for transport, combat support, and maritime roles, including a planned naval variant.
- •The program supports India's defense self-reliance push under the 'Make in India' and 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' initiatives.
- •CCS approval would formally launch the design and development phase, with timelines and prototype milestones to be finalized afterward.
The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) could soon grant approval for the design and development of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited's (HAL) Indian Multi-Role Helicopter (IMRH), with a proposed allocation of ₹13,500 crore, sources told CNBC-TV18.
According to the sources, the ₹13,500 crore allocation for the program has already been cleared by the costing committee, clearing a key procedural hurdle before the proposal reaches the CCS, the government's highest body for defense procurement and security decisions, chaired by the Prime Minister.
The IMRH is a flagship indigenous program aimed at developing a medium-lift utility helicopter in the roughly 11–13 tonne class, intended to replace the Indian armed forces' aging fleets — notably the legacy Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv class and older imported platforms such as the Russian-origin Mi-17 series. It is being designed to serve multiple roles — including transport, combat support, and maritime operations — for the Indian Army, Indian Air Force, and Indian Navy, with a naval variant also planned. HAL has previously showcased a full-scale mock-up of the IMRH at the Aero India exhibition in Bengaluru, signalling the maturity of the design concept ahead of formal sanction.
The program is being led by state-owned HAL in collaboration with private industry partners. HAL, India's dominant aerospace and defense manufacturer, has been positioning the IMRH as a cornerstone of the country's push for self-reliance in defense aviation under the "Make in India" and "Atmanirbhar Bharat" initiatives. The project also reflects a broader policy shift in Indian defense procurement toward indigenous design and development programs, which typically require CCS approval at the highest level before development funding is released.
Approval by the CCS would formally launch the design and development phase of the program, marking a major step forward for one of India's most significant indigenous rotorcraft projects. Details such as the exact timeline and prototype milestones are expected to be finalized once the Cabinet-level nod is secured.
The report was published by CNBC-TV18 (original article).
