Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Tuesday strongly opposed any move to relocate Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s (HAL) major defence manufacturing projects, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) and Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), out of Bengaluru. He emphasized HAL as the “pride of Karnataka” and said the state would not part with its premier defence assets.
Shivakumar took aim at the reported proposal by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to shift the AMCA and LCA production to his state. “We will not allow any Navaratna companies or established defence units to be taken from Karnataka. HAL was not given to the state by the BJP government. It is because of the technical talent and scientific community here that Bengaluru became the base for the aviation and defence sector since Jawaharlal Nehru’s time,” Shivakumar said.
The Deputy CM also questioned the silence of union ministers and Karnataka MPs on the matter, urging them to take a stand. “Let Naidu get new projects—we won’t interfere. But we won’t allow our existing institutions to be relocated. It’s a matter of Karnataka’s self-respect,” he added.
State’s Industries Minister MB Patil also raised voice against the idea and stated that while setting up new facilities is understandable, transferring core operations away from Karnataka is unacceptable.
HAL, headquartered in Bengaluru, is central to India’s indigenous defence production ecosystem.