India, Germany forge landmark defence pact for LiDAR helicopter systems

NEW DELHI: In a significant development, India and Germany on Wednesday agreed to jointly manufacture Obstacle Avoidance Systems (OAS) for military helicopters, a rare, high-value defence technology transfer that marks one of the most substantial collaborations between the two nations in nearly three decades. This agreement comes a day after both countries articulated their intent to advance their strategic partnership when Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh co-chaired the IndiaGermany High Defence Committee meeting with Jens Plotner, State Secretary, German Ministry of Defence, in New Delhi on Tuesday. At the Dubai Airshow 2025, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Germanys HENSOLDT, in which the German government holds a 25.1% stake, signed a landmark contract that defence officials described as the most significant IndiaGermany defence technology transfer in close to 30 years. According to sources, The agreement revolves around a genuine transfer of technology (ToT) for HENSOLDTs high-performance LiDAR-based Obstacle Avoidance System (OAS) for helicopters. The OAS will enable helicopters to detect obstacles such as power lines, aerial cableways, pylons and towers during low-level flight, hazards that often pose serious risks. Sources added, Because of this, helicopter accidents during low-level flights have been a matter of concern for both civil and military choppers. This equipment is expected to assist pilots with enhanced situational awareness, enabling quick and potentially life-saving reactions. The contract, according to sources, includes design and manufacturing intellectual property, local production rights and long-term sustainment capabilities, a combination that Indian industry observers note is uncommon in sensor-technology deals. The last major defence collaboration of comparable scale was the construction of conventional submarines in Germany, inducted into the Indian Navy in 1980 as the Shishumar-class submarines. Even the Dornier aircraft originated from Germany. The OAS pairs HENSOLDTs SferiSense LiDAR Sensor Head Unit with its Degraded Visual Environment (DVE) computer to deliver real-time situational awareness, synthetic vision and advanced navigation cues. The system is engineered to drastically reduce the risk of Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT), one of the leading causes of helicopter accidents globally. Under the contract, HAL will manufacture, integrate, supply and support the OAS within India while also receiving export rights, a key enabler for future international business. This positions India among a select group of nations with the sovereign capability to produce LiDAR-based obstacle-avoidance systems for helicopters. This deal reflects the consistent progress in bilateral ties and ongoing Indo-German defence-industrial cooperation. IndiaGermany High Defence Committee meeting On Tuesday, the Ministry of Defence said, The Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and the State Secretary, German Ministry of Defence, Jens Plotner reaffirmed commitment to enhance military-to-military cooperation with a focus on developing defence ties as a key pillar of the Strategic Partnership between India and Germany. As reported by The New Indian Express , they discussed a range of bilateral security and defence issues including priority areas for co-development and co-production of defence equipment, the MoD added. India and Germany are celebrating 25 years of their strategic partnership this year. Since 2011, the partnership has been strengthened through inter-governmental consultations at the level of heads of government. The two sides also exchanged views on the regional security situation and discussed intensifying bilateral exchanges, including the institution of military exercises. The militaries of India and Germany have joint exercises planned for the coming year. Germany will participate in the next edition of Exercise Tarang Shakti (a multinational air combat exercise) and Milan (a multinational naval exercise) scheduled for 2026. In August 2024, as earlier reported by TNIE , Germany participated for the first time in an aerial exercise on Indian soil, during which its Eurofighter Typhoon carried out air manoeuvres.