Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu on Tuesday inaugurated the Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter – New Generation (ALH-NG), which successfully completed its maiden flight at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s Helicopter Division. Speaking after the flag-off, Naidu said HAL was transitioning from a defence-centric organisation to one with a balanced presence in both civil and defence aviation. He stressed that India should aspire not only to be a major aviation market but also a global manufacturing hub for the sector. The Minister said the successful flight and certification of the fully indigenous Shakti engine marked a historic step forward for India’s civil aviation manufacturing capabilities. He also outlined the government’s vision to expand helicopter operations across the country, including an ambitious plan to develop a heliport in every district. Revised norms permitting heliports to be built on as little as two to three acres of land would help scale up this vision, he added. Naidu highlighted a key manpower challenge, noting that India currently has only one helicopter pilot training institute at Khajuraho. He called for the establishment of additional flying schools and simulators to support the anticipated growth in helicopter operations. Positioned as a versatile civilian platform, the Dhruv NG is designed for a wide range of applications, including VIP transport, offshore operations, air ambulance services, disaster relief, tourism and utility roles. Designed and manufactured by HAL, the 5.5-tonne helicopter is a light twin-engine, multi-role platform tailored for India’s diverse terrain and upgraded to meet global civil aviation standards. The Dhruv NG is powered by indigenous Shakti 1H1C engines, which have received type certification from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. It features a civil-certified glass cockpit, modern avionics, crashworthy seats, self-sealing fuel tanks and advanced vibration control systems to enhance safety and passenger comfort. With interest reported from operators such as Pawan Hans, state governments and security forces, the helicopter is being viewed as a cost-effective alternative to imported light twin-engine aircraft and a significant step towards advancing Atmanirbhar Bharat in India’s civil aviation sector.