FEBRUARY 20268MINISTRY OF DEFENCE & HAL INK RS 2,312 CR AIRCRAFT DEALMAHINDRA INVESTS RS 196 CRORE TO EXPAND CHENNAI R&D HUBIndia's Ministry of Defence has inked a Rs 2,312crore contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the supply of eight Dornier228 aircraft under the Buy (Indian) category.The agreement was signed on February 12, 2026, in New Delhi, in the presence of the Defense Secretary, Rajesh Kumar Singh, and it was a great move in the sphere of domestic defense manufacturing and maritime security improvement.These eights are Dornier 228 airplanes that will be manufactured by the Transport Aircraft Division at HAL in Kanpur and fitted with operational role equipments of the Mahindra & Mahindra is set to invest Rs 196 crore to expand its Chennai R&D hub, strengthening its engineering and testing capabilities in India.It will boost facilities in Mahindra Research Valley (MRV) in Chennai, which will solidify the drive of the company to develop highly sophisticated vehicles as well as next-generation mobility solutions.The growth will target the modernization of research, product development, and vehicle testing facilities of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG). The procurement will enhance the capabilities of the ICG to perform the Indian extensive coast, search and rescue, and patrol missions over its extensive coastal waters.The agreement supports the government in promoting Aatmanirbhar Bharat and the Make-in-India program, most of the parts of which are locally sourced. It is likely to enhance the ecosystem of production of HAL and sustain a wide network of MSMEs and ancillary industries. The move will also generate both direct and indirect employment and generate long term employment prospects in maintenance, repair and overhaul services associated with aircraft life cycle.The Dornier 228 aircraft can be described as a versatile and reliable aircraft when it comes to operations in coastal areas hence it fits perfectly in the multi-mission maritime requirements in India. Increasing fleet of such aircraft is operated by the Indian Coast Guard and this new contract has boosted the airborne patrol and response of the Indian Coast Guard immensely.The following contract provides an assurance of India to develop defense capabilities with local technology and production as central core, and increasing awareness on the maritime domain and guaranteeing the speed in response to any threats such as smuggling, piracy and emergency in the sea. company. The increased capacity facility will not only facilitate the advancement of the internal combustion engine models, but also the electric cars, which is in line with the overall expansion plan of Mahindra. It is believed that the upgraded center will contribute to reducing the pace of the product validation, performance testing, and innovation cycles.Senior leadership from the company, along with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin and Industries Minister T R B Rajaa, were present at the announcement event, highlighting the importance of the investment for the state's automotive ecosystem.The company indicated that also the expansion of R&D Chennai hub will create a high number of employment opportunities and it has been decided to increase the number of engineering and technical jobs to approximately 2,000 in the long term. This action also enhances the status of Chennai as a big automotive and manufacturing hub in India.This new 196 crore investment is another move that Mahindra is making to commit to local research, accelerat-ing product introductions to the market and enhancing its competitiveness in the local and international markets. TOP STORIESTOP STORIESTOP STORIES
< Page 7 | Page 9 >