The Defence Ministry of India has signed a contract worth Rs 2,312 crore with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd to procure eight Dornier aircraft for the Indian Coast Guard (ICG). The contract with HAL’s Transport Aircraft Division, Kanpur, was signed on Thursday in New Delhi.
“The programme will boost indigenous manufacturing, generate employment across MSMEs, strengthen MRO & lifecycle support ecosystem, and reinforce Aatmanirbhar Bharat while enhancing India’s maritime security architecture,” read the official statement of the MoD.
The procurement programme was finalised in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh.
The contract by the defence ministry has been signed under the “Buy (Indian) category”.
Dornier 228 is a renowned twin-turboprop STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) utility aircraft that first entered production in 1981. Originally developed by Dornier GmbH in Germany, the aircraft became a staple for regional transport and maritime surveillance due to its versatile design.
Between 1981 and 1998, approximately 245 units were manufactured at the Oberpfaffenhofen facility. A significant turning point for the aircraft's longevity occurred in 1983, when HAL acquired a production license, leading to the manufacturing of an additional 125 aircraft in Kanpur, India.
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