The Ministry of Defence signed two contracts worth Rs 62,700 crore with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. on Friday for supply of 156 light combat helicopters Prachand for the armed forces.
The five-year contracts includes one for 66 LCHs for the Indian Air Force and another for 90 LCHs for the Indian Army. The deliveries will begin in the third year of the contract and will be completed over the course of five years, according to a release by the ministry.
These helicopters, designed and developed indigenously, can operate at altitudes above 5,000 metres and will significantly enhance the armed forces' combat capability in high-altitude warfare, it said.
The LCH Prachand, developed by HAL, boasts over 65% indigenous content and involves more than 250 domestic companies, primarily micro, small, and medium enterprises. The production process is expected to generate over 8,500 direct and indirect jobs, further strengthening India's defence manufacturing ecosystem, according to the release.
In addition to the LCH contracts, the ministry also signed an agreement with Metrea Management for the wet leasing of a flight refuelling aircraft to provide air-to-air refuelling training for pilots of the IAF and Indian Navy. The leased KC-135 aircraft will be delivered within six months, marking the first-ever FRA wet lease by the IAF.
With these agreements, the total value of defence contracts signed in the current financial year has surpassed Rs 2.09 lakh crore, the highest ever and nearly double of the previous record. Of these, 92% of contracts, valued at Rs 1.68 lakh crore, have been awarded to the domestic defence industry, reinforcing India’s push for self-reliance in defence production, it added.
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