Japanese company lifts 15-month ban on supply of carbon fibre to HAL

Bangalore: Japanese firm Toray Industries Inc, the world's largest producer of carbon fibre, has lifted a fifteen month long moratorium it had imposed on supply of the material to state-owned Indian aerospace giant, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL). Toray stopped supplies in April 2007 after India tested its nuclear-capable Agni-III missile, citing concerns over potential ''dual-use'' applications

Amongst other things, carbon fibre is also used in aircraft manufacture and the moratorium hit production of HAL's light combat Dhruv helicopters.

Produced from polymers, carbon fibre is used to make composites that have the strength of steel but are just half the weight.

Reportedly, HAL could produce only six of the 24 Dhruv helicopters it had promised to deliver to the army in the fiscal year to March.  The Dhruv is a twin-engine, multi-role light combat helicopter (LCH) used for both military and civilian transport.