December 01, 2012: The Indian Navy has knocked on HAL's door to carry out Sea King 42C Helicopter 90 weekly inspections at INS Garuda in Kochi. The HAL MRO Division has had experience in overhauling the transmission assemblies of the Navy's Seaking chopper. According to HAL, "Indian Navy suggested that the vast experience held by HAL on maintenance and repair of helicopters will benefit Indian Navy in keeping the Sea King fleet serviceable." HAL MRO Division accepted the offer for the servicing of Seaking 42C Helicopter as a Pilot Project. A ceremony to take over the first helicopter for the process was carried out on November 8 at Kochi.

HAL has posted 11 technicians and one officer at INS GARUDA to begin work. HAL will be involved in activities that include: pre-survey coordinated by customer and NAQAS, rectification of all observations as per survey, carry out servicing as per schedules approved by OEM, compliance of all applicable modifications, inspection, overhaul and servicing of airframes, inspection, overhaul and servicing of transmission rotables and LRUs, preparation of helicopters to the applicable SOP and servicing schedule requirements, coordination of all the work done reports by Navy as part of helicopter clearance for ground run and flights, rectification of snags observed during ground run and flights and acceptance of helicopter by customer. An upgrade programme for the Navy's Sea Kings also hangs fire, and is currently being fought between AgustaWestland (OEM) and Israel Aerospace Industries.