A Parliamentary committee has criticized Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for significant delays in obtaining international civil aviation certifications, resulting in a financial loss of over 108 crore and missed export opportunities for indigenous helicopters. The report highlighted HAL’s decade-long struggle for certification from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), emphasizing that the company failed to engage with civil regulators early in the design process. To address these challenges, the committee has urged the government to negotiate formal bilateral agreements with major certification bodies and streamline the recognition of Indian certifications. HAL defended its commitment to fulfilling Indian armed forces’ needs while updating its R&D processes to align with both military and civil standards, and the Ministry of Defence has pledged to strengthen international ties to facilitate approvals for future projects.