A big agreement for 25 new ALH Dhruv helicopters is signed by the defense ministry, giving the Indian Army’s aviation a boost

Delhi, New: The Indian Army is expected to gain significant capabilities after the Defense Ministry secured a deal to purchase 25 new Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH). It is anticipated that this purchase would improve the Army’s operating efficiency, especially in critical regions like the Western Desert.

The new ALH Dhruv attack helicopter squadron, which is scheduled to be created in Jodhpur on March 15, is expected to significantly improve the Army’s combat capabilities in the Western desert zone.

“Today, the Defense Ministry and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited inked an agreement for the Indian Army to purchase 25 new ALH Dhruv helicopters. Search and rescue, troop transportation, internal cargo, reconnaissance/casualty evacuation, and other applications are suited for the ALH Dhruv Mk III UT (Utility). High-altitude areas like Siachen Glacier and Ladakh have shown its effectiveness,” Defense Ministry officials said.

Agreement to purchase 34 ALH Dhruv
An important step towards indigenization in defence manufacturing was taken when the Ministry of Defense signed two contracts with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Bengaluru, for a total value of Rs 8073.17 crore. The contracts were for the purchase of 34 Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) Dhruv Mk III as well as operational role equipment for the Indian Army (25 ALHs) and Indian Coast Guard (09 ALHs).

“On March 15, the Army Aviation Corps of the Indian Army formed its first squadron of Apache assault helicopters at Jodhpur. According to Indian Army authorities, the unit’s first helicopters are scheduled to arrive from the US in May of this year.

An agreement to purchase six Apache helicopters from the US has been inked by the Indian Army. These American assault helicopters, which have recently been involved in hostilities in the northern sector, have already been bought by the Indian Air Force in quantity—22.

Dhruv Mk III ALH
The Indian Army’s ALH Dhruv Mk III UT (Utility) variant is intended for use in reconnaissance and casualty evacuation, search and rescue, troop transportation, internal cargo, and other applications. Its effectiveness has been shown in high-altitude areas like Ladakh and Siachen Glacier.

The ALH Mk III MR (Maritime Role), which is the ICG variant, is intended for use in medical casualty evacuation, freight and personnel transportation, maritime surveillance and interdiction, search and rescue, rappelling operations, and pollution response using an external cargo-carrying capacity. It has shown its worth both on land and at sea under challenging atmospheric circumstances.

Over the course of the project, an estimated 190 lakh man-hours would be employed. The indigenization process would include 70 local vendors and the provision of equipment from over 200 MSMEs. This is expected to positively affect job growth in this industry, hence advancing the goal of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.