SARAS civilian aircraft designed by National Aerospace Laboratories and manufactured by HAL

The CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (CSIR-NIIST), based in Kerala, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) in Bangalore to collaborate in India's aerospace and defence sectors.

Kerala-based CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (CSIR-NIIST) signed an MoU on Thursday with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), Bengaluru for a collaboration in the nation's aerospace and defence sectors, NIIST said.

NIIST said that it would be collaborating with HAL on strengthening the indigenisation and import substitution programme for the nation's aerospace and defence sectors, as envisioned by the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

The MoU, signed and exchanged in Bangalore, involves the development of magnesium and aluminium alloy castings and deals with related areas for the aerospace and defence sectors, it said in the release.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in the presence of senior scientists and officials from both organisations, the release said.

"The MoU facilitates CSIR-NIIST to collaborate on human resource utilisation, facility utilisation, technology support services, consultancy services and collaborative research works in the field of light alloys, for the design and development of aerospace components and welding. "The specific areas of collaboration include manufacturing of aeronautical grade magnesium alloy castings using low pressure casting (LPC) process, design and development of filler materials for salvage welding of aluminium and magnesium alloy castings and other areas of research of mutual interest," it said.

A constituent laboratory of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), NIIST Trivandrum is a leading institution engaged in conducting advanced research and development programmes in areas relating to effective utilisation of resources of the region, which are of fundamental importance to the country, the release said. HAL designs, develops, manufactures, supplies and maintains aircrafts, helicopters, aerospace systems and components.