HAL denies choosing firm for R&D review

New Delhi

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), the government-run aerospace company, has denied rumors about selecting PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) as a consultant to review its research and development (R&D) processes. The company responded to several social media posts that falsely claimed PwC had already been chosen.

In a post on platform X, HAL clarified that no consultancy firm has been finalized yet. The company has only issued a Request for Quotation (RFQ) to select a firm through a proper and fair process.

HAL said the benchmarking project is based on suggestions from a high-level government committee. The goal is to improve and modernize HAL’s R&D by comparing it with top global aerospace and defense companies. The selection is being carried out on the Government e-Marketplace (GEM) Portal following all required rules.

HAL firmly stated that no official contract has been awarded yet and that any claims suggesting otherwise are incorrect.

The company also expressed concern over the rise in misleading reports since an Advanced Light Helicopter crash in January. It said that some articles have been written by people who are not connected with current HAL operations. These include former officers and so-called experts who present outdated or false views without HAL’s side of the story.

HAL added it cannot reply to each media report due to the sensitive nature of defense work. However, it remains committed to transparency, fairness, and improving public trust in its actions.