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India scraps Russian helicopter buy and looks at more Rudras

28th April 2022 - 03:40 GMT | by Rahul Bedi in Delhi

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India could well order additional Rudra helicopters, an armed version of the Dhruv from HAL. (Gordon Arthur)

As part of its indigenisation push, India is turning away from a planned purchase of Russian Mi-17 helicopters.

India’s MoD has abandoned the planned $1.1 billion procurement of 48 Mi-17V-5 helicopters for the Indian Air Force (IAF), paramilitaries and federal interior ministry, in favour of acquiring indigenously-developed rotary-winged platforms.

Approved in 2018, these Mi-17V-5s were to supplement 151 similar platforms that India acquired from 2008-16 for $2.87 billion. Of these, 139 were weaponised versions for the IAF, and the remainder for paramilitary forces and interior ministry.

Senior military officers said the decision to cancel the Mi-17V-5 buy was in order to push for the induction of more twin-engine Rudra Advanced Light Helicopter - Weapon Systems Integrated into both

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Author

Rahul Bedi

Rahul Bedi is a New Delhi-based journalist reporting for over 30 years on strategic, military, and security …

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