VEM Technologies has delivered the first centre fuselage assembly for the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk1A to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The handover took place on May 30, 2025, in Hyderabad, and marks the start of a new production line supported by a private Indian firm.
This development adds to the three existing production lines—two in Bengaluru and one in Nashik—currently manufacturing the Tejas Mk1A. HAL indicated that incorporating private-sector sub-assemblies would support higher production rates and help meet delivery timelines for the Indian Air Force.
The new assembly is part of a broader effort by HAL to integrate private industry into its supply chain. Companies such as L&T, Alpha Tocol, Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL), VEM Technologies, and Lakshmi Machine Works (LMW) are manufacturing key sub-components, including rear fuselages, wings, fins, rudders, pylons, and air intakes.
To date, the LCA Tejas Division has received air intake assemblies, rear fuselage modules, loom assemblies, and fin and rudder structures in the Mk1A configuration. HAL intends to apply this outsourcing approach to future aircraft programs as well.
HAL has engaged over 6,300 Indian vendors, including 2,448 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), for sourcing components and systems. Between 2022 and 2025, it placed orders worth INR 137.63 billion with domestic suppliers.
According to Sanjeev Kumar, Secretary (Defence Production), there is significant growth in defence production at a rate of about 10% annually as well as in the country’s defence exports.
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited is a public sector enterprise under the Ministry of Defence, headquartered in Bengaluru. It is involved in manufacturing aircraft, engines, and avionics for defence and civil aviation applications, and partners with industry for parts production and system integration.