What Helicopters Does India Have? Prachand, Apache and Dhruv

India’s armed forces fly one of Asia’s largest military helicopter fleets, mixing home-built aircraft from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) with American and Russian types. In March 2025 India placed its biggest helicopter order ever, for 156 Prachand light combat helicopters built by HAL, designed to fight at the extreme altitudes of the Himalayas. Alongside them fly American AH-64E Apaches and CH-47 Chinooks, the navy’s MH-60R Seahawks, hundreds of Russian Mi-17s and the HAL Dhruv utility helicopter.

This guide covers each of India’s main military helicopters and how the fleet is changing.

What helicopters does India have?

India’s helicopters are spread across the air force, the army’s aviation corps, the navy and the coast guard. Many of them operate in some of the hardest conditions in the world, from the Siachen Glacier, at more than 6,000 metres, to the deserts of Rajasthan and the Indian Ocean.

LCH Prachand: built for the Himalayas

The Light Combat Helicopter, named Prachand (“fierce”), was developed by HAL after the 1999 Kargil war showed India needed an attack helicopter that could operate at very high altitude. It is the only attack helicopter designed to take off and land at 5,000 metres with weapons and fuel. It carries a 20mm gun, rockets and air-to-air and anti-tank missiles. After a first batch of 15, India ordered 156 more in March 2025, 90 for the army and 66 for the air force, worth about 627 billion rupees. Its maker is profiled in our article on HAL.

Apache, Chinook and Seahawk

India bought 22 AH-64E Apaches and 15 CH-47F Chinooks for its air force in a 2015 deal, and six more Apaches for the army, the last of which arrived in 2025. The Chinooks have proved invaluable for moving guns and supplies to high-altitude posts in Ladakh. The navy’s 24 MH-60R Seahawks, bought in 2020, are its most capable anti-submarine helicopters. The Apache is profiled in our article on the AH-64 Apache, and American helicopters in general in our guide to US military helicopters.

Dhruv and the Mi-17

The HAL Dhruv, or Advanced Light Helicopter, is the most numerous Indian-made helicopter, used for transport, rescue and, in its armed Rudra version, attack. In January 2025 the fleet was grounded after a coast guard Dhruv crashed, revealing a structural fault that took months to fix. The Russian Mi-17 remains the air force’s main medium transport, though its age and India’s reduced access to Russian spares are a growing concern. A new Indian Multi-Role Helicopter is planned to replace it in the 2030s.

How does India compare?

China’s army has about 1,000 helicopters, including the Z-20 and Z-10, as described in our guide to Chinese military helicopters. India’s fleet is of a broadly similar size but more mixed in origin. Its main advantage is experience at extreme altitude, where it has operated helicopters for decades on the Siachen Glacier.

Frequently asked questions

What helicopters does India have?

India’s main military helicopters are the LCH Prachand, the AH-64E Apache, the CH-47F Chinook, the MH-60R Seahawk, the Mi-17 and the HAL Dhruv.

What is the LCH Prachand?

A light combat helicopter built by HAL and designed to fight at very high altitude. India ordered 156 in March 2025.

How many Apaches does India have?

28: 22 with the air force and six with the army.

Does India have Chinook helicopters?

Yes. The air force operates 15 CH-47F Chinooks, used heavily in Ladakh.

What is the HAL Dhruv?

India’s most numerous home-built helicopter, a utility helicopter with an armed version called Rudra.

Why was the Dhruv grounded?

The fleet was grounded in January 2025 after a crash revealed a structural fault that had to be investigated and fixed.