NEW DELHI: Honeywell Aerospace is accelerating engine deliveries to Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), potentially removing a key bottleneck that delayed production of the state-owned aircraft maker’s HTT-40 trainer for the Indian Air Force.
The US aerospace company will deliver eight engines to HAL by the end of calendar 2026, including the four already supplied, and another eight by mid-2027, taking its total direct deliveries to 16 engines, Matt Milas, president, Defense & Space at Honeywell Aerospace, told Mint on Thursday.
That would put Honeywell about two years ahead of its previously scheduled 2029 delivery timeline.
“Honeywell Aerospace will deliver a total of 8 engines to HAL by this year – 4 engines have already been delivered. Remaining 8 engines will be delivered by middle of 2027—so total of 16 engines,” Milas said.
Honeywell was originally supposed to deliver its first engine in September 2025, but supply-chain problems pushed back deliveries. The delay contributed to HAL missing its target to deliver 12 HTT-40 aircraft in fiscal 2025-26, according to a September report by Hindustan Times.
“We are tracking all the major milestones and we are ahead of schedule,” Milas said, adding that Honeywell is working with suppliers to address bottlenecks and complete deliveries ahead of schedule. The company is also investing in its supply-chain ecosystem, he said.
Clearing the bottleneck
The TPE331-12B turboprop engines power the HTT-40, a basic trainer aircraft designed for the IAF’s initial pilot-training stage. The engine shortage had held up HAL’s production of the aircraft.
HAL has manufacturing facilities for the HTT-40 in Bengaluru and Nashik and has the capacity to produce about 20 aircraft a year once the supply chain is stabilised. The accelerated engine deliveries could therefore give HAL more room to ramp up production after the earlier .
The numbers refer to different parts of the programme: 12 is the number of aircraft HAL was due to deliver in fiscal 2025-26, while 16 is the number of engines Honeywell plans to supply directly. The broader HTT-40 programme involves 88 engines and engine kits in total.
After supplying the initial 16 engines, Honeywell is expected to support HAL in moving towards local assembly.
“We are still working on the technology transfer details and timelines,” Milas said.
The IAF has ordered 70 HTT-40 aircraft from HAL for ₹6,838 crore. The aircraft is meant for the initial stage of pilot training, before pilots move on to more advanced aircraft.
Honeywell signed a more than $100-million agreement with HAL in 2022 to supply engines and related equipment for the HTT-40 programme.
Expanding India footprint
The HTT-40 programme is one part of a broader expansion by Honeywell Aerospace in India’s market.
In July, IndiGo selected Honeywell’s avionics and power systems for 810 Airbus A320neo-family aircraft, including auxiliary power units, weather radar, traffic collision avoidance systems and flight management systems. Honeywell has supplied equipment to IndiGo since 2015.
Honeywell is also expanding its aftermarket footprint in India. GMR Aero Technic, a subsidiary of GMR Airports, signed a licensing agreement with Honeywell Aerospace in July to provide maintenance, repair and overhaul services for seven Honeywell-made line-replaceable units used on LEAP engines powering Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. The agreement covers disassembly, inspection, repair, reassembly and testing of the components.
Together, the agreements give Honeywell a broader role in India’s growing aviation market, spanning aircraft systems and , engines for defence programmes and component maintenance.
Honeywell Aerospace had sales of $17.4 billion in 2025, before its separation from Honeywell, with its Engines & Power Systems business accounting for $5.4 billion. Honeywell Aerospace became a standalone publicly traded company in June 2026.
The company does not disclose India-specific revenue for Honeywell Aerospace India Private Ltd.