The Apache AH-64E helicopters were expected to be a game-changer for the Indian Army, especially at a time when its western borders remain tense after Operation Sindoor.
More than a year after the Indian Army created its first Apache attack helicopter squadron, the actual helicopters are still nowhere in sight. The squadron was set up in March 2024 at Nagtalao in Jodhpur, but it hasn’t become operational yet, simply because the Apache AH-64E helicopters promised by the United States have not arrived.
India had signed a USD 600 million agreement (current rate: 50,100,000,000 INR)with the US in 2020 to buy six Apache helicopters for the Army. As per the original plan, the first three were supposed to be delivered by May or June 2024. That deadline came and went. The delivery was then postponed to December 2024, reportedly due to global supply chain problems. But now even that date has passed, and there’s still no word on when the helicopters will finally land in India.
According to officials from the Defence Ministry, the delay is due to technical problems on the US side. Meanwhile, Indian Army pilots and support teams who were trained and ready months ago are stuck waiting, with nothing to fly.
This is in contrast to the Indian Air Force, which had received 22 Apache helicopters earlier under a separate deal made in 2015. The delay for the Army has therefore become even more frustrating, as the squadron remains incomplete and idle despite all preparations.
Delayed Apache helicopters leave critical gap in Indian Army’s combat plans
The Apache AH-64E helicopters were expected to be a game-changer for the Indian Army, especially at a time when its western borders remain tense after Operation Sindoor. These helicopters, known for their cutting-edge targeting systems and heavy firepower, are meant to boost both offensive and reconnaissance capabilities.
Their absence, however, is creating a serious gap in India’s defence setup. The Army Aviation Corps has been rapidly modernising, bringing in advanced platforms like the indigenous ALH Dhruv, weaponised Rudras, Light Combat Helicopters (LCH), as well as utility helicopters like the Cheetah and Chetak, Mi-17s, Heron and Searcher UAVs, and Dornier 228 aircraft.
But despite this growing fleet, the Apaches stand out for their high precision and battlefield endurance Their absence is even more glaring given that all other support infrastructure and trained personnel are in place, but the helicopters themselves haven’t arrived.
