India to Receive First Apache Helicopters on July 21 for Pakistan Border Deployment

India is set to bolster its military might with the arrival of the first three AH-64E Apache attack helicopters from the United States on July 21, 2025, landing at the Indian Air Force’s Hindon Air Force Station. The helicopters, part of a $600 million deal signed in 2020, will be deployed along the Pakistan border, enhancing the Indian Army’s offensive and reconnaissance capabilities in the desert sector near Jodhpur, Rajasthan.

The delivery, delayed by over 15 months due to U.S. supply chain disruptions and technical issues, marks a critical milestone for the Army Aviation Corps’ 451 Aviation Squadron, raised in March 2024 but left idle without its flagship choppers. The second batch of three Apaches is expected by November 2025, completing the six-helicopter order.

Dubbed “tanks in the air,” the AH-64E Apache Guardians are equipped with Longbow Fire Control Radar, AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, Hydra 70 rocket pods, and a 30mm M230 chain gun, offering unmatched agility, firepower, and all-weather targeting precision. Their night vision and advanced sensor suites make them ideal for reconnaissance, close air support, and anti-tank missions in the volatile western front, especially post-Operation Sindoor, a May 2025 India-Pakistan conflict sparked by a terrorist attack in Pahalgam.

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The Indian Air Force already operates 22 Apaches, inducted between 2019 and 2020 under a 2015 deal, stationed at Pathankot and Jorhat. The Army’s Apaches, tailored for ground support, complement indigenous assets like the ALH Dhruv, Rudra, and Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) Prachand, though the Dhruv and Rudra fleets remain grounded for safety checks following a January 2025 crash.

The delivery follows a July 1, 2025, call between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, where Singh pressed for timely delivery and thanked the U.S. for support during Operation Sindoor. The Apaches, produced by Boeing with fuselages from Tata Boeing Aerospace in Hyderabad, are a cornerstone of India’s defense modernization, with the Army pushing for 11 more units.

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