India and USA on Tuesday announced expansion of the growing defence ties by concluding two deals to purchase 30 front-line military helicopters from the USA for the Indian Navy and Army.
Of the two, the bigger deal is to procure 24 MH-60R helicopters at a cost of $2.12 billion (about Rs 15,000 crore) for the Navy to replace its ageing Sea King helicopters on-board the destroyers and frigates.
The second one is $930 million (nearly Rs 6,500 crore) contract to buy six Apache armed choppers for the Army.
“Earlier today, we expanded our defence co-operation with agreements for India to purchase more than $3 billion of advanced American military equipment, including Apache and MH-60R helicopters – the finest in the world. These will enhance our joint defence capabilities,” said President Trump at a press conference after his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Out of the 24 choppers for the Navy, the first six are to be delivered by Sikorsky – now owned by Lokheed Martin – early next year while the remaining 18 are to be handed over to the Navy in the subsequent two years.
The government-to-government deals mark the end of 14 agonising years for Indian Navy, which is severely short of its helicopter fleet, crippling much of its blue water ambitions. The Navy now manages only a handful of old Sea King and Kamov choppers.
The Apache deal on the other hand is a follow-on contract that originates from a 2015 deal to buy 22 of these gunships for the Indian Air Force. Both contracts were approved by the Cabinet Committee on security last week.