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Journalism of Courage
India is finally ready to don the mantle of the arms exporter as it gets ready to sell the first indigenously-developed Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH). It is learnt that two ALHs will be sold to Nepal and the orders are expected to be firmed up by this month-end.
If that is not enough to excite the international arms market, the fact that India is busy negotiating with Israel for selling ALHs should. And while an impressed Tel Aviv also looks at jointly marketing the ALH, a few are being shipped to Chile for trials. Chile evinced interest after the ALH passed trials in Siachen.
The proposed sale will be the first major transaction of an indigenously-developed weapon-system and the ALH has been priced at nearly Rs 30 crore per piece. Weighing 5.5 tonnes, the ALH is considered one of the best in its category.
The nearest competitor, the American Bell-1, is lighter and carries a lighter load while others are much heavier at 9 to 10 tonnes. Well placed in terms of weight, carrying capacity, weapons configuration and price, the ALH makes an attractive buy in the international market.
