Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday targeted the opposition for its criticism of the government four years ago in what was a veiled reference to signing the Rafale deal by allegedly overlooking the capabilities of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), stressing that the state-owned plane maker’s growing prowess and contribution to India’s self-reliance had exposed “the old lies and those who had made the false accusations.”
In the run-up to the 2019 elections, the Congress escalated its attacks on the Modi government over the deal with French aerospace firm Dassault Aviation deal for 126 Rafale fighters, accusing the government of causing a huge loss to the public exchequer and endangering national security by sidestepping HAL.
“HAL was used as an excuse to make various false accusations against our government. This is HAL, whose name has been used to incite people. No matter how big the lie is, no matter how many times it is told, how many times it is told, but one day it loses in front of the truth,” Modi said on Monday.
“Today HAL’s helicopter factory, the growing power of HAL, is exposing many old lies and false accusers, the truth is speaking. Today, HAL is making modern Tejas for India’s armed forces. It is a centre of attraction in the world. Today, HAL is strengthening India’s self-reliance in the defence sector,” he added.
The NDA government’s decision to enter into a ₹59,000-crore government-to-government deal with France to buy 36 Rafale warplanes was announced in April 2015, with the deal signed a little over a year later. This replaced the UPA regime’s decision to buy 126 Rafale aircraft, 108 of which were to be made in India by HAL using parts imported from France.
The facility inaugurated by the Prime Minister is Asia’s largest helicopter manufacturing facility and will initially produce Light Utility Helicopters (LUH). LUH is an indigenously designed and developed 3-ton class, single-engine multipurpose utility helicopter with the unique feature of high manoeuvrability.
“Tumakuru has got a big helicopter factory today. Karnataka is a land of young talent and innovation. The world is seeing the manufacturing power of Karnataka from drone manufacturing to Tejas fighter planes. The double-engine government has made Karnataka the first choice of investors. The inauguration of the helicopter factory is an example of how the double-engine government works,” PM Modi said.
The factory will be expanded to manufacture other helicopters such as Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) and Indian Multirole Helicopter (IMRH) and for repair and overhaul of LCH, LUH, Civil ALH and IMRH in the future. The factory also has the potential for exporting the Civil LUHs in future.
Over the next 20 years, HAL is planning to produce more than 1000 helicopters in the class of 3-15 tonnes from Tumakuru. This will result in employing around 6000 people in the region.
Recalling the laying of the foundation stone of the same factory in 2016, the Prime Minister said that he had resolved to reduce India’s dependency on security requirements from foreign countries. “I got an opportunity of laying its foundation stone in 2016 with a resolution. The resolve was to make the dependency of our security requirements on foreign countries as less as possible. From modern assault rifles, aircraft carriers, to fighter jets are being manufactured by India,” he said.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh, Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai and senior officials of the ministry of defence were among those present at the event.
“It is a dedicated new greenfield helicopter factory which will enhance India’s capacity & ecosystem to build helicopters”, Rajnath Singh said.
He also laid the foundation stone for the Tumakuru Industrial Township, and ‘Jal Javeen Mission’ projects in Tiptur and Chikkanayakanahalli taluks of the district in Karnataka, where Assembly polls are due by May.
Reacting to the Prime Minister’s visit, Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah said that the Prime Minister has been taking credit for the Congress’ work.
“The HAL project in Tumkuru was sanctioned by the UPA government. Earlier he gave land deeds to the Lambani community, even though that programme was done by us… to cover up all corruption and misgovernance, the BJP is bringing Modi to the state multiple times. But it won’t make any difference, people have made their decision,” Siddaramaiah said.
When asked about the PM’s comment on Rafale and HAL, the senior state Congress leader said that the AICC spokesperson will address the matter.