India has approved a major defence procurement, purchasing 156 Light Combat Helicopters (LCH) ‘Prachand’ from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). This momentous transaction, at Rs 62,500 crore, is the highest ever for indigenous defence procurement. The Cabinet Committee on Security approved the order, which included 66 helicopters for the Indian Air Force and 90 for the Indian Army.
HAL will build these advanced helicopters at its Bengaluru and Tumkur plants in Karnataka, with deliveries beginning within three years and continuing for the next five years. The ‘Prachand’ is uniquely capable of operating at high elevations of 5,000 to 16,400 feet, making it perfect for deployment in difficult terrains such as Siachen and Eastern Ladakh.
The LCH Prachand is equipped with air-to-ground and air-to-air missile-launching capabilities, providing increased operational flexibility. Integrated data chips enable network-centric operations, which are critical for modern warfare. Since their introduction into the Air Force in October 2022, these helicopters have been seen as a substantial increase to India’s aerial warfare capability.
This contract is part of India’s larger effort for self-reliance in defence manufacturing, with over Rs 2.09 lakh crore in defence contracts signed this fiscal year, boosting domestic production and potentially creating thousands of employment in the aerospace sector.
