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Samtel HAL Display Systems Limited (SHDS), a joint venture between Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Samtel Avionics, on Tuesday inaugurated its new manufacturing facility at Udyog Vihar, Phase IV, Gurugram, marking a fresh push towards indigenisation in India's defence avionics sector.
The facility was formally opened by HAL Chairman and Managing Director Ravi K. SHDS holds the distinction of being India's first public-private joint venture in defence avionics to indigenously design, qualify and serially produce a multifunction display (MFD) for a fighter aircraft. The new facility will house testing and quality assurance capabilities for advanced display systems, besides supporting the design, development, manufacturing and product support of display systems for both airborne and ground applications, the company said. Speaking at the inauguration, Ravi K said the facility marked an important milestone in HAL's efforts to strengthen indigenous capabilities in defence avionics, calling it a coming-together of HAL's expertise in military aviation and Samtel's strength in display technologies. He added that HAL remained committed to partnering with Indian industry to accelerate indigenisation, cut import dependence, and deliver reliable avionics solutions for the armed forces. Puneet Kaura, Director of SHDS and MD & CEO of Samtel Avionics, said the facility was the outcome of nearly two decades of collaboration with HAL to indigenise technology that was once entirely import-dependent, pointing to the joint venture's MFD flying on the Su-30 MKI as proof that Indian industry could design and manufacture avionics displays to defence-grade standards. Formed nearly 20 years ago, SHDS is set to post its highest-ever annual turnover of around 200 crore this year, making it one of the best-performing joint ventures within the HAL group. Backed by a growing order book, the company expects this figure to potentially double to 400-500 crore over the next three to four years as new programmes come on stream. SHDS displays are already fitted on the Su-30 MKI, and the JV has been selected for HAL's Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) programme. It is also positioned on the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) programme and is exploring opportunities on the Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), while talks on the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) programme remain to be finalised. The company is also eyeing potential in HAL's Indian Multi-Role Helicopter (IMRH) programme. SHDS was set up in 2006 and is part of the four-decade-old Samtel Group, one of India's largest integrated display manufacturers. The company holds an industrial licence from the Ministry of Defence, is a CEMILAC-approved design house and a DGAQA-approved manufacturing facility, and operates under ISO 9001:2008 and AS 9100C quality systems. (ANI)
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