India is likely to take delivery of three out of the six AH-64E Apache attack helicopters that the Indian Army had ordered by the end of this month, more than a year after delays began, sources informed The Indian Express.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh called US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to accelerate the supply of Apache helicopters and GE F404 engines, which will power India’s domestic fighter jet, the LCA Tejas.
OEM-Indian Army Jointly Inspected the Apache Helicopter
Sources confirmed that representatives from the Indian Army and the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) will jointly conduct a receipt inspection in India as soon as the helicopters arrive to attest to the delivery.
India had signed a contract with the United States in 2020 for procuring six more Apache helicopters for the Indian Army. This followed the 2015 contract under which the US delivered 22 Apache helicopters to the Indian Air Force (IAF).
Technical Delays Pushed Apache Deliveries by a Year
The authorities initially planned to deliver the six new Apaches in three tranches by last year, but technical and supply chain problems seriously disrupted the handover process.
Observers view the induction of Apaches as a major capability boost for the Army, especially after Operation Sindoor, India’s recent military action against terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
To Be Deployed Along the Pakistan Border
The Army will be placing the new Apache helicopters in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, further enhancing India’s combat capabilities along the western frontier against Pakistan. The Army Aviation Corps had set up an Apache squadron in Jodhpur last year as part of preparations for this induction.
Apart from the Apache fleet, the Indian Army and Air Force also have the indigenous Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) Prachand. The Ministry of Defence inked two big contracts with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in March 2025 to buy 156 LCH Prachand helicopters along with equipment and training worth ₹62,700 crore.
Under the deal, the government will transfer 66 LCHs to the Air Force and 90 to the Army, marking one of India’s biggest indigenous defence aviation procurement drives in recent times.