To strengthen Navy, defence ministry to acquire 111 choppers for Rs 21,738 crore

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi. (PTI/File Photo)

With an objective to strengthen the country’s naval frontier, defence ministry on Tuesday approved the purchase of 111 utility helicopters for the Indian Navy at a cost of Rs 21,738 crore, news agency PTI reported. The deal was cleared by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at a meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC).

Official sources told PTI that 16 helicopters will be procured at a fly away condition and the rest will be manufactured in India. The acquisition of the helicopters will be made under the strategic partnership model. The government will now work to identify foreign helicopter maker and an Indian defence firm, who will work together for the project.

Earlier in May, the government had launched the strategic partnership model under which selective private firms and foreign entities would team up to jointly manufacture military platforms such as submarines and fighter jets in India. The deal, which was cleared on Tuesday, will be the first major acquisition project under the new model.

(With inputs from PTI )