The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has handed over an indigenous advanced light helicopter (ALH) – Dhruv – built by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to the Prime Minister of Nepal Sushil Koirala at Kathmandu. The copter will be used by the Nepalese Army. HAL team lead by T. Suvarna Raju, Managing Director, HAL (Helicopter Complex), was present on the occasion.

“This is in line with PM’s thrust on ‘Make in India’ and the Government’s policy of neighbourhood”, said Dr R.K. Tyagi, Chairman, HAL. The company’s technical support team is positioned at Kathmandu to provide maintenance and logistics support. Earlier, India had provided two Dhruv helicopters to the Nepalese Army in November last year, adds Dr Tyagi.

Dhruv helicopter in Mark-III version with Shakti engines and advanced glass cockpit and avionics would immensely benefit Nepal, known for its mountainous terrain and adverse environmental conditions.

The helicopter has a proven track record in both military and civil operations. It is designed to meet the requirement of both military and civil operators. Dhruv has also been exported to Ecuador, Mauritius and Maldives. The Ecuador Air Force operates five Dhruv helicopters with their President choosing to fly in one of them. Dhruv is particularly useful in meeting the arduous tasks in difficult terrains.

Dhruv is a multi-role, multi-mission new-generation helicopter in 5.5-tonne weight class and meets Federal Aviation Regulations specifications. It has demonstrated its capability in long-distance flights, vertical climb and manoeuvring. Dhruv is an allweather helicopter which can carry 10-16 people at heights of 10,000 feet.