
ThePrint ThePrintPod: New HAL CMD doesn’t have to be an ‘insider’. Let merit decide
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Nov 24, 2025 The discussion revolves around the leadership selection for a key national defense enterprise. It highlights the common advantage insiders have over outsiders and critiques the internal lobbying that influences these choices. The conversation delves into the historical resistance to appointing external candidates and the mixed results from recent internal promotions. Key upcoming defense programs emphasize the need for disciplined leadership. Ultimately, there's a strong call for a merit-based approach to leadership that prioritizes national interest over insider favoritism.
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HAL's Strategic Scale And Stakes
- HAL is a vast, strategically critical defence PSU with many divisions and R&D centres requiring disciplined execution.
- Its expanding programs demand faster indigenization and production stability amid supply-chain vulnerabilities.
Insider Bias Limits Leadership Renewal
- Longstanding insider preference for HAL CMDs limits the prospect of fresh perspectives and can preserve legacy culture.
- Outsider leadership in 2012 brought professionalisation and new practices that persisted beyond his tenure.
2012 Outsider Improved Culture
- In 2012 an outsider from ONGC and Pawan Hans led HAL and faced internal discomfort but delivered change.
- He introduced quarterly executive meets and leadership development programs that later continued.
