March 29, 2025
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Hindustan Aeronautical bags Rs. 62000 Cr. Helicopter order
India has approved its largest-ever defense deal, purchasing 156 Made-in-India Light Combat Prachand helicopters for the Indian Army and Air Force from Hindustan Aeronautical Limited (HAL). Valued at Rs 62,000 crore, the deal was greenlit by the Cabinet Committee on Security in a meeting held on Friday.
In June 2024, HAL secured the order for 156 Light Combat Helicopters (LCH), with 90 allocated to the Indian Army and 60 to the Indian Air Force. These helicopters will be produced at HAL’s Tumakuru plant in Karnataka.
According to defense sources, the helicopters will be deployed for operations along India’s borders with China and Pakistan, marking a significant milestone in expanding the country’s aerospace ecosystem and generating jobs.
The Prachand helicopters stand out as the only attack helicopters capable of operating at altitudes ranging from 5,000 to 16,400 feet, making them ideally suited for the high-altitude terrains of the Siachen Glacier and Eastern Ladakh. They are equipped to launch both air-to-ground and air-to-air missiles, with integrated data chips that enable network-centric operations. This technological enhancement allows the LCH to perform joint operations and enhance force multiplications.
The Prachand (LCH) was formally inducted into the Indian Air Force in October 2022. This new contract brings the Ministry of Defence’s total signings to over Rs 2.09 lakh crore in the current financial year.
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