New Delhi, May 27 (IANS) India has initiated the process to develop electric Hansa (E-Hansa), a next-generation two-seater electric trainer aircraft, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said on Tuesday.

The indigenously developed E-Hansa trainer aircraft is expected to cost around Rs 2 crore, significantly less than imported alternatives.

Dr Singh said that it is a matter of pride that the new aircraft is being indigenously developed by the CSIR institute of “National Aerospace Laboratories” (NAL) Bengaluru.

The E-HANSA is part of the larger HANSA-3 (NG) trainer aircraft programme, which is designed to be a cost-effective and indigenous option for pilot training in India.

India’s E-Hansa aircraft will also mark a key step toward India’s green aviation goals and use of green or clean energy fuel in running our aircrafts, said the minister while chairing high-level review meeting with science department secretaries.

Further, the meeting focused on performance assessment, implementation status of prior decisions, and setting the course for transformative reforms in India’s science and technology ecosystem.

Stressing the need for commercialisation of indigenous technologies, Dr Singh called for greater public-private partnerships (PPP). He directed the National Research Development Corporation (NRDC) to emulate the successful models of DBT-BIRAC and IN-SPACe for technology transfer and private sector engagement.

Dr Singh reiterated the importance of standardised tech transfer protocols, ease of doing business, and promoting Indian R&D under the ethos of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”.

Commending ISRO for the successful SPADEX mission, he noted that the docking and undocking capability tested is vital to India’s upcoming Gaganyaan human spaceflight.

He also lauded ISRO’s substantial role in Operation Sindoor, stating, “Every Indian is proud of you.” He shared that ISRO is currently collaborating with 40 Union Ministries and 28 State Governments, with a series of upcoming missions lined up.

Regarding India’s contribution to the Axiom Space Mission, Dr Singh informed that Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla’s visit to the International Space Station (ISS) will include seven microgravity experiments, further boosting India’s space science profile.

–IANS

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