Govt signs contract worth Rs 8,073 crore with HAL to buy 34 helicopters

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In what is being seen as a major capability boost for the Indian Army, the Army Aviation Core on Wednesday signed a contract for 25 new ALH helicopters.

The Indian Army is also raising its new ALH Dhruv attack helicopter squadron in Jodhpur on March 15, which will significantly enhance its combat capabilities in the Western desert sector.

"The Defence Ministry today signed a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for acquiring 25 new ALH Dhruv helicopters for the Indian Army. The ALH Dhruv Mk III UT (Utility) is designed for Search & Rescue, Troop Transportation, Internal Cargo, Recce/ Casualty Evacuation etc. It has proved its performance in high-altitude regions like Siachen Glacier and Ladakh," the officials of the Defense Ministry said.

The Ministry signed two contracts for a combined value of Rs 8,073.17 crore for the acquisition of 34 Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) Dhruv Mk III for the Indian Army (25 ALHs) and Indian Coast Guard (09 ALHs) marking a significant move towards indigenization in defence manufacturing.

The Indian Army's Army Aviation Corps raised its first squadron of Apache attack helicopters in Jodhpur on March 15. The first choppers of the unit are expected to arrive in May this year from the US: Indian Army Officials

The Indian Army has signed a contract to acquire six Apache helicopters from the US. The Indian Air Force has already acquired 22 of these American attack helicopters, which have taken part in conflicts in the northern sector in recent times.