In one of the most significant Indo–German defence technology transfers in decades, India and Germany have finalised an agreement to jointly develop a LiDAR-based Obstacle Avoidance System (OAS) for military helicopters—aimed at dramatically reducing the risk of Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT), one of the leading causes of helicopter accidents worldwide.
The contract between Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and German defence electronics company HENSOLDT was signed at the Dubai Airshow 2025, and marks a rare, high-value technology-sharing arrangement that defence officials describe as a major milestone in bilateral cooperation.
Long-Standing CFIT Concerns Drive Push for Indigenous Capability
CFIT has remained among the most persistent safety concerns in India’s military aviation, particularly in the snow-bound heights of Ladakh, the narrow valleys of Arunachal Pradesh and during counter-insurgency operations requiring low-level flight in unfamiliar terrain.
Helicopter crews often operate in degrading visual environments—fog, dust, whiteouts, night conditions and high-altitude turbulence—that leave even well-trained pilots exposed to sudden terrain loss.
Sources familiar with the agreement said the new system aims to directly address these vulnerabilities. “The agreement revolves around a genuine transfer of technology (ToT) for HENSOLDT’s high-performance LiDAR-based Obstacle Avoidance System,” one official said. “This has been a long-standing requirement because helicopter accidents during low-level flights have been a matter of concern for both civil and military choppers.”
A System Built for India’s Harshest Flight Conditions
The jointly developed OAS will integrate HENSOLDT’s SferiSense LiDAR sensor head with its high-speed Degraded Visual Environment (DVE) computer. The equipment detects power lines, cableways, pylons, ridgelines and small obstacles—often invisible to the naked eye in poor visibility—at distances beyond one kilometre.
The DVE computer processes LiDAR returns in milliseconds to generate synthetic vision cues and actionable cockpit warnings, significantly enhancing a pilot’s reaction time.
The system is designed to support operations across:
- high-altitude snow regions such as Siachen
- brownout-prone desert zones
- fog-heavy plains and riverine belts
- densely forested border areas in the Northeast
Officials said the technology is expected to reduce pilot workload in the most demanding phases of flight and improve safety margins during nap-of-the-earth profiles, tactical insertions and missions in degraded visual environments.
Depth of Technology Transfer Marks Shift in India’s Defence Partnerships
Beyond its operational utility, the agreement is notable for its extensive intellectual property transfer—an uncommon feature in sensor-technology collaborations. The contract includes design IPR, manufacturing rights, local integration authority and long-term sustainment capability.
Under the arrangement, HAL will manufacture, integrate, supply and support the OAS domestically and will also receive export rights.
Defence industry observers say the deal signals a broader shift in India’s approach to defence procurement—from acquisition-driven models to partnerships that prioritise local capability, joint development and IPR ownership.
The technology places India among a small number of countries with the sovereign ability to produce LiDAR-based obstacle-avoidance systems for helicopters.
A Major Indo–German Defence Milestone
Officials noted that the last comparable Indo–German collaboration of this scale was the construction of Shishumar-class submarines in Germany in the early 1980s. Earlier Dornier aircraft in India also trace their origins to German platforms.
The OAS agreement closely follows high-level defence discussions in New Delhi. On Tuesday, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh co-chaired the India–Germany High Defence Committee meeting with German State Secretary Jens Plötner.
In a statement, the Ministry of Defence said the two sides “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.”
Both countries also reviewed areas for co-development and co-production and discussed regional security issues and upcoming joint exercises.
Germany is set to participate in Exercise Tarang Shakti and Exercise Milan in 2026. In 2024, Germany’s Eurofighter Typhoon took part in aerial manoeuvres on Indian soil for the first time.
A Long-Awaited Step Forward
The HAL–HENSOLDT partnership brings together operational necessity and industrial ambition at a moment when India’s helicopter fleet is expanding and its military responsibilities are increasing. The LiDAR-equipped OAS is expected to significantly reduce CFIT risks once integrated across indigenous rotary-wing platforms.
By combining German sensor expertise with Indian manufacturing capability, the agreement gives India long-awaited access to a critical safety technology—and the ability to build, refine and export it in the years ahead.
