Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu’s offer of 10,000 acres of land in Lepakshi, Anantapur district, to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is more than just a pitch for industrialization—it’s a bold strategic move. A seasoned administrator with a proven development track record, Naidu is again playing the long game, blending visionary politics with national interest. His move not only aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Viksit Bharat” mission but also sends a sharp message to those who have historically undermined India’s public sector potential, most notably, the Congress party. Let’s be clear: HAL is not just another PSU. It is India’s crown jewel in aerospace and defence manufacturing, with a legacy dating back to 1940. Established in Bangalore by visionary industrialist Walchand Hirachand with support from the then Mysore state, and later taken over by the Government of India in 1942, HAL has built the foundations of India’s self-reliance in defence. From producing the HF-24 Marut to training aircraft like the HT-2 and Kiran, HAL has been central to India’s indigenization efforts. Yet, it has also been one of the most maligned and under-supported entities, especially under successive Congress regimes that preferred to import defence equipment rather than promote domestic capability. Remember the Congress party’s relentless attack on HAL during the 2019 elections? Rahul Gandhi falsely claimed that HAL was “snubbed” in favour of Anil Ambani in the Rafale deal, a narrative that collapsed under scrutiny. Now, as Naidu extends a red carpet to HAL, the same party has no coherent response. It is paralyzed by its contradictions. What Congress demonized, Naidu is revitalizing. What they neglected, Naidu is offering to empower.
Critics may argue that Naidu’s political legacy is mixed—his Amaravati capital project was mired in controversy, leading to legal battles and unrest among farmers due to the land pooling scheme. His 2018 decision to walk out of the BJP-led NDA was a costly miscalculation, culminating in a humiliating defeat to the YSRCP in 2019. But politics, like chess, rewards those who learn from past errors and reposition smartly. In 2024, Naidu returned to the NDA fold and swept back to power, aided by a strategic alliance with the BJP and Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena Party. Now, he’s correcting course. Instead of overfocusing on IT and real estate development like Amaravati’s past iteration, he’s embracing manufacturing, a sector crucial to employment generation and national security. With Modi’s call to make India a global manufacturing hub, especially in defence, Naidu’s proposal to HAL is timely and visionary. It shows a clear understanding that the future lies in making Andhra Pradesh not just an IT corridor, but a defence manufacturing powerhouse.
And let’s not miss the larger message here: HAL’s possible shift, partially or fully, from congested Bengaluru to Andhra Pradesh is not just about land. It’s about political credibility. Naidu has transformed from a leader seen as unreliable after 2018 to someone who now speaks the language of national ambition. If HAL chooses to expand into Andhra, it won’t just be a win for Naidu—it will be a stinging rebuke to the Congress’s misplaced priorities and economic incompetence. Ironically, the Congress now finds itself at a loss. The same party that once accused Modi of destroying HAL is now silent as a non-BJP CM courts it with infrastructure and vision. And this time, the Defence Ministry, instead of playing second fiddle to Lutyens’ politics, is likely to decide on merit and national interest. Naidu’s offer is not just a land deal; it is a statement. A statement that India’s growth story will not be held hostage to political petulance. Leaders who align with the national vision, not with ideological bitterness, will shape the future. With this move, Chandrababu Naidu has not just put Andhra Pradesh back on the industrial map. He has also exposed the hollowness of Congress’s defence of HAL and their wider economic hypocrisy. In doing so, he’s reclaiming his legacy as a builder—and setting the tone for Andhra Pradesh’s next leap forward.