Apache Chopper: After IAF, now Indian Army to get world's most advanced helicopter this month, to be deployed at Pak border
Operation Sindoor
, the Army has kept focus tight on boosting strength along the western border. But the first Apache squadron raised in Jodhpur in March 2024 has stood ready with no helicopters to fly.
The US-built AH-64E Apaches, bought under a $600 million deal signed in 2020, were due to arrive last year. Instead, deadlines slipped. More than once.
Missed schedules, fresh arrival dates
According to the deal, India would get six Apaches in two lots of three. The first batch should have landed by May or June 2024. When supply chains jammed, the timeline was pushed to December 2024. Technical issues in the US added more months to the pause.
Now, signs of movement. Defence Ministry sources told
The Indian Express
the first three helicopters could finally touch down within weeks. The second batch should follow later this year.
'Once the choppers are delivered, a joint receipt inspection will be carried out in India by the representatives of the original equipment manufacturer and the Army,' sources said.
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Minister steps in for faster handovers
This renewed hope did not appear on its own. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh recently phoned US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth to ask for a push on delivery schedules. Singh also flagged India's urgent need for the GE F404 engines that will power the homegrown LCA Tejas fighter jets.
He described the phone call as an 'excellent discussion' on taking the India-US defence partnership forward.
Key role on the Western front
India plans to base all six Apaches at Jodhpur for quick deployment along the western border. Their purpose is clear: sharpen India's response capability in the wake of Operation Sindoor, launched last year against terror camps inside Pakistan.
The Apache AH-64E is known for agility and firepower. Its advanced sensors and weapons mean it can hunt targets with precision and stay flexible in tough border terrain.
The Indian Air Force already flies 22 Apaches ordered under a separate contract signed back in 2015. The Army's fleet will plug gaps on the ground combat side, covering frontline units that need close air support.
Other birds in the sky
Apaches are not alone. The Army Aviation Corps flies a full spread of machines. The
Advanced Light Helicopter Dhruv
covers transport, rescue and recon. The Dhruv fleet was briefly grounded after an ICG variant crashed in January this year. With approvals back in place, Dhruvs now fly missions again, especially after the Pahalgam attack.
The Rudra, a Dhruv with teeth, carries weapons for anti-tank and close air support roles. Cheetah and Chetak helicopters run lighter lifts—casualty evacuation, surveillance, and logistics supply in tough areas.
India's home-grown
Light Combat Helicopter Prachand
is designed for high altitudes. In March this year, the Ministry of Defence signed two contracts worth ₹62,700 crore with
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
for 156 new Prachands—66 for the Air Force and 90 for the Army.
Eyes in the sky and heavy lifters
The fixed-wing Dornier 228 plays its part for light transport and comms. Meanwhile, drones like the Heron and Searcher handle surveillance. The Heron stays up longer at medium altitudes; the Searcher sweeps tactical zones closer to ground troops.
Then there's the Mi-17—India's workhorse. It lifts troops and supplies and carries out emergency evacuations. Together, these assets keep the Army's western front mission-ready in almost any terrain.
The new Apaches will not replace these platforms. They will add to them. Once the six choppers reach Jodhpur, the Army's first Apache squadron—idle since last March—will finally lift off.
Operation Sindoor may have ended, but the push to secure India's western skies continues. Now, the Army hopes the wait for its sharpest new blades will really end this month.
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