Make in India gets a lift: Indo–German safety system announced at Dubai Airshow to strengthen India’s military helicopters and global reach

A major Indo–German helicopter safety upgrade unveiled at the Dubai Airshow 2025 is poised to significantly enhance India’s rotary-wing capabilities at home and abroad. The new Obstacle Avoidance System (OAS), jointly developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and German defence sensor firm HENSOLDT, arrives at a time when Indian-built helicopters are drawing increased global interest.

The agreement—one of the most substantial India–Germany defence–industrial collaborations in nearly three decades—covers co-development, joint refinement of technical parameters, technology transfer, shared design and manufacturing IPRs, and full-scale production of the OAS in India. HAL will also hold export rights for the OAS-equipped solution, strengthening India’s expanding defence aviation portfolio.

Why India Needs a Modern OAS

India’s military helicopters frequently operate in challenging environments where terrain, weather and visibility interact unpredictably. In Ladakh and Siachen, thin air and uniform snow cover erase depth cues. In the Northeast, tight valleys and sudden cloud banks reduce reaction time. In deserts and coastal regions, haze, dust and salt-laden air complicate operations.

Night-vision and infrared sensors provide useful support but cannot reliably detect thin wires, narrow poles or abrupt terrain changes during low-level flight. This has long underscored the need for a terrain-adapted safety suite capable of providing early, reliable obstacle warnings across diverse mission environments.

The Indo–German OAS is designed precisely to meet this requirement.

What the Indo–German OAS Brings

The co-developed OAS uses active LiDAR sensing via HENSOLDT’s SferiSense LiDAR Sensor Head Unit, which employs a patented fibre-scanner to generate a homogeneous scan pattern. Official technical information indicates a detection probability of ≥99.5% within the first second and a detection range beyond 1,000 metres.

A key advantage is LiDAR’s ability to detect thin wires even when helicopters are flying parallel to them—a well-known limitation of radar systems. Multiple analysis windows process the LiDAR returns, allowing the system to distinguish obstacles from clutter and map them into a stabilised, attitude-independent coordinate frame. This ensures accurate warning cues even in classic Degraded Visual Environment (DVE) conditions such as brownout, whiteout, fog or low illumination.

A dedicated DVE Computer complements the LiDAR system by providing synthetic vision and 3D conformal symbology on Helmet-Mounted Displays and cockpit screens. These features significantly reduce pilot workload during high-risk phases of flight such as take-off, low-level ingress, approach and landing.

Built-to-Spec Co-Development Model

HAL and HENSOLDT are pursuing the OAS under a built-to-spec co-development approach rather than importing a ready-made system. Technical parameters will be refined jointly based on India’s mission environments—from high-altitude ridgelines and dense jungles to deserts and coastal terrain.

Technology transfer, including design and manufacturing IPRs, is planned to support Indian production and long-term sustainment. HAL will manufacture, integrate, supply and support the OAS domestically.

Crucially, HAL will also retain export rights for the OAS-equipped solution, adding momentum to India’s “Make in India, Make for the World” ambitions.

The system is intended for integration across India’s indigenous military helicopter fleet, supporting both current and future platforms without specifying an initial sequence.

Indo–German Defence Ties Enter a New Phase

The OAS agreement marks a major moment in India–Germany defence cooperation, which last saw significant industrial activity during earlier collaboration on the Dornier aircraft line and HDW submarines. It aligns Germany’s Zeitenwende—a strategic reset emphasising defence readiness and diversification—with India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives.

The partnership is structured as a deep industrial collaboration rather than a conventional supply arrangement. It incorporates genuine technology transfer, shared intellectual property and local manufacturing, enabling HAL to produce, integrate and eventually export the advanced OAS technology from India. The programme aligns with India’s broader Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India objectives by embedding high-end avionics capability within the domestic defence industrial ecosystem.

Korwa, UPDIC to Play a Key Role

HAL’s Korwa division in Uttar Pradesh is expected to anchor long-term production, strengthening the state’s Defence Industrial Corridor and expanding India’s avionics and electronics supply chain. Korwa, historically associated with assembly-line and select avionics work, is now positioned to handle more complex system integration and certification tasks.

The modular, sensor-agnostic architecture of the OAS may also create opportunities for domestic suppliers specialising in optics, embedded processing, software-defined components and certified aviation-grade electronics.

A Boost for India’s Helicopter Ecosystem

The Dubai Airshow 2025 announcement signals more than a safety upgrade. It indicates a deeper Indo–German defence partnership, India’s shift toward co-developed avionics, growing confidence in HAL’s manufacturing capabilities, and a stronger global profile for Indian-made helicopter platforms.

With the new LiDAR-based OAS entering production, India’s frontline fleet—and its export prospects—are poised for a significant lift.