Every dated status change and builder update, newest first. Progress is the plot.
2026-07-15Near-isothermal forging → Demonstrated · DRDO achieved working prototypes of 5-stage HPC discs with 200+ components produced and supplied to HAL for Adour engines, gaining airworthiness certification by 2021; however, production remains limited and technology has not yet reached full competitive scale.status
2026-07-15Hypersonic re-entry aerodynamics and winged-body design → Demonstrated · ISRO's RLV-TD achieved successful hypersonic flight (Mach 5) in 2016 and multiple autonomous landings; working ORV prototype in development phase with orbital test planned within two years.status
2026-07-15Air-data and inertial sensor suite → Emerging · DILABS and Aeron have developed MEMS-based INS, air-data computers, and AHRS units now entering UAV and fighter platforms, but commercial-grade ADIRU systems with ring-laser gyroscopes remain imported; technology is demonstrated but not yet producing at scale.status
2026-07-15Autonomous precision landing navigation → Demonstrated · India successfully executed autonomous precision lunar landing (Chandrayaan-3, Aug 2023) and multiple autonomous reusable vehicle landing experiments (RLV-LEX series 2023-2024), but no production-scale autonomous landing system for operational missions yet deployed.status
2026-07-15Relaxed static stability aerodynamic design → Demonstrated · India has a fielded, in-service aircraft (Tejas Mk1) using RSS with indigenous digital fly-by-wire; two operational squadrons since 2016, but limited production scale and quantity.status
2026-07-15High-purity YSZ and rare-earth zirconate powder synthesis → No capability · No evidence of indigenous high-purity YSZ or rare-earth zirconate powder production at aero-engine specification; India relies on imports for defence thermal barrier coating materials.status
2026-07-15High-bypass turbofan design and integration → No capability · No indigenous high-bypass turbofan exists in India; all commercial and large transport aircraft depend entirely on foreign engines or licensed assembly.status
2026-07-15Military turbofan engine → Emerging · The dry Kaveri variant is in flight-testing certification phase with Godrej delivering limited serial production units (D1 September 2025, D2-D3 Q1 2026); the full-thrust afterburning variant passed a full-burner test in February 2026 but remains pre-operational and heavily import-dependent overall.status
2026-07-15High-temperature superalloys → Emerging · DMRL has demonstrated single-crystal blade casting capability at limited scale; MIDHANI and Aerolloy are establishing production facilities; no indigenous high-temperature superalloy engines fielded.status
2026-07-15Carbon-fibre composite manufacturing for large aero structures → Emerging · India has demonstrated prototype and small-series CFRP manufacturing for aerospace components (wings, fuselage sections) and operates research facilities producing standard-modulus carbon fibre, but no large-scale commercial production of primary aerostructures and zero indigenous carbon fibre precursor capacity.status
2026-07-15Quadruplex redundant flight control computer hardware → Demonstrated · India has successfully designed, built, and certified a quadruplex digital flight control computer for the HAL Tejas LCA, which is in operational service with the Indian Air Force; however, production remains limited to domestic platforms and has not achieved competitive export presence or industrial-scale manufacturing.status
2026-07-15Real-time flight-certified sensor suite → Emerging · GTRE has integrated sensors for ground and altitude testing of Kaveri; infrastructure for flight testing (flying testbeds, NAETC) planned but not yet operational; no flight-certified indigenous suite in service.status
2026-07-15Flight management system → Emerging · HAL and DRDO developing avionics subsystems (flight control, mission computers, displays) integrated into aircraft like Tejas, but no standalone indigenous FMS product for commercial or military scale deployment.status
2026-07-15Vacuum investment casting → Demonstrated · DMRL has delivered functional single-crystal HPT blade castings (60 units to HAL in 2021, ongoing vane production in 2024), meeting airworthiness certification, but production scale remains limited to research quantities and machining capability remains outsourced.status
2026-07-15Reusable thermal protection system → Demonstrated · ISRO successfully flight-tested RLV-TD with ~600 indigenous heat-resistant tiles in 2016, exposed to hypersonic reentry; RLV-ORV program aims orbital-scale validation by 2027–28, but production maturity and multi-flight durability not yet established.status
2026-07-15Electro-hydraulic flight control actuators → Demonstrated · India has demonstrated indigenous secondary electro-hydraulic servo-actuators (leading-edge slats and airbrakes) for Tejas Mark 1A with successful flight trials completed as of April 2024; primary flight control actuators remain in integration testing phase.status
2026-07-15Digital engine control → Demonstrated · HAL's indigenous FADEC passed ground evaluation and achieved flight test clearance in 2025; DRDO's Kaveri engine incorporated a FADEC derivative (KADECU); but no production deployment on operational fighter aircraft yet.status
2026-07-15Deep-throttling liquid rocket engine → Emerging · CE-20 demonstrates limited throttling (20-22 tonne range); LOX-methane engines in early testing; NGLV programme explicitly requires throttling for landing, but sub-scale tests only just begun in January 2026.status
2026-07-15DO-178C flight software certification process → No capability · No evidence of indigenous Indian DO-178C certification infrastructure or completed projects; India uses domestic CEMILAC/IMAP certification processes for military airborne systems instead.status
2026-07-15Aero gas turbine design → Emerging · GTRE has working engine prototypes (Kaveri Dry Engine approved for inflight testing Dec 2024; Manik producing small engines in series) but neither has achieved production-scale military certification or operational service.status
2026-07-15Advanced aluminium alloy melting and rolling process → Emerging · HAAL casts aerospace-grade hard alloys; BALCO and NALCO operate rolling capacity but for commodity grades; extrusion press still under foundation (June 2026), rolling for flight-critical 2xxx/7xxx sheet/plate not in production.status
2026-07-15Vertical takeoff vertical landing (VTVL) guidance and control → Demonstrated · ISRO successfully demonstrated autonomous VTVL guidance on winged RLV-TD ('Pushpak') with three consecutive landing experiments (LEX-01 through LEX-03) from 2023–2024, validating onboard navigation and control; retro-propulsive booster VTVL guidance remains under development.status
2026-07-15PAN precursor for carbon fiber → Emerging · NAL has demonstrated lab-scale PAN-to-carbon-fiber conversion (pilot plant), while Reliance and others plan production; no commercial PAN precursor factory yet operational.status
2026-07-15Precision optics and mirror figuring → Emerging · Small firms and labs conduct R&D and prototype low-precision optics; no demonstrated production of semiconductor-grade precision mirrors or ion-beam figuring capability.status
2026-07-15Laser-produced tin-plasma EUV light source → No capability · No Indian entity or programme attempting development; technology entirely imported via ASML's global monopoly.status
2026-07-15Turboprop engine → Emerging · HAL is adapting existing helicopter turboshaft engines into turboprop variants for UAVs and conducting local assembly of imported engines, but no full-cycle indigenous turboprop design is in production.status
2026-07-15Aerospace-grade aluminium alloys and CFRP composites → Emerging · Hindalco-Almex manufactures aerospace-grade aluminium alloys at scale (12,000 TPA); CFRP component manufacturing exists but India fully imports raw carbon fibre; major investments announced by Reliance and Jindal remain in development/early production phases.status
2026-07-15Integrated commercial avionics suite → Emerging · R&D exists in military avionics components through BEL/DRDO/HAL, but no integrated commercial avionics suite has been completed or certified for civilian use.status
2026-07-15Large-aircraft final assembly line → Demonstrated · India has successfully assembled and test-flown indigenous C-295 aircraft and inaugurated two operating FALs, but remains dependent on foreign OEM partnership and design.status
2026-07-15Wide-chord composite fan blades → No capability · No evidence of indigenous Indian capability; India imports all aero-engine fan blades and depends entirely on foreign suppliers.status