Hindustan Aeronautics Limited

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is an Indian government-controlled aerospace and defence manufacturer headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka. It traces its origin to Hindustan Aircraft Limited, established on 23 December 1940, and was reorganised under its current name on 1 October 1964. HAL is classified as a "Maharatna" Central Public Sector Enterprise, with the Government of India holding roughly 71-72% of its equity; the remainder trades publicly, with the stock listed on the NSE (ticker HAL) and BSE (code 541154).

HAL's core business is the design, manufacture, upgrade and maintenance, repair and overhaul of military and civil aircraft, helicopters, aero-engines and avionics for India's armed forces. Its space-sector work sits alongside this aviation business as a hardware supplier to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO): HAL has long produced integrated L-40 liquid stages for the GSLV Mk II, and propellant tanks and feed lines for the PSLV, GSLV Mk II and GSLV Mk III (LVM3) launch vehicles.

HAL's role expanded significantly in September 2022, when NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), ISRO's commercial arm, signed a contract with an HAL-led consortium — with Larsen & Toubro as the other principal partner — for the industrial production of five PSLV-XL launch vehicles, the first attempt to transfer end-to-end PSLV manufacturing from ISRO to private industry. In June 2025, ISRO separately transferred Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) technology to HAL for approximately ₹511 crore, giving the company a second Indian launch-vehicle production line.

As of its FY2023 disclosures HAL employed approximately 24,457 people. The company is led by Chairman and Managing Director D. K. Sunil. Beyond space hardware, HAL remains primarily an aircraft and helicopter manufacturer (Tejas, Su-30MKI, HAL Dhruv and others), with its space work representing a smaller but growing share of a large, diversified aerospace manufacturing business.