New Delhi, August 29
The government has decided to purchase two separate types of US-produced specialised helicopters, one used in attack role and the other for lifting heavy load.

Currently, the Indian Air Force has been using Russian/Soviet produced helicopters in both the roles. The move indicates a shift in New Delhi preferences for buying military equipment.

Clearance for the $ 2.5 billion (approx Rs 15,000 crore) purchase for these helicopters was accorded at a meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), the apex decision-making body of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) today. It also cleared proposals worth Rs 17,000 crore.

The meeting chaired by Defence Minister Arun Jaitley accepted the proposals of US company Boeing that will supply these copters — 15 heavy lift CH47F Chinook and 22 AH-64-D Apache — meant for the newly created Mountain Strike Corps.

The 22 Apache Longbow gunships, armed with Hellfire and Stinger missiles, will be worth US $ 1.4 billion.

The 15 Chinooks, equipped with powerful contra-rotating tandem rotors, will be for $ 1.1 billion. The US copters won the bid in an open competition beating the Russian-built Mi-26 and the Mi-28-H. Moscow, in the past, had protested the choice and said that US copters were no match to theirs, claiming that the US itself was buying Russian copters for forces in Afghanistan.

Notably, the DAC decided to scrap the tender to procure 197 helicopters for the Indian Army and the IAF. The European Airbus helicopters and the Russian Kamov were in the race for the 197 copter bid pending since 2010.

This throws up three options: First that the MoD-owned public sector undertaking Hindustan Aeronautics Limited ties up with a foreign collaborator. Second, private companies like Tatas, Reliance or Mahindra tie up with foreign partners. Third, the Indian Government could accept US offer made by its Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel to co-produce the copter.

The light helicopter is used by the Indian Army and the IAF in the mountains. 

• Defence Acquisition Council cleared proposals worth Rs 17,000 crore
• The meeting chaired by Defence Minister Arun Jaitley accepted the proposals of US company
• Boeing will supply these copters
• India will get 15 heavy lift CH47F Chinook and 22 AH-64-D Apache meant for the newly created Mountain Strike Corps