United States completed the delivery of the first AH-64E Apache attack helicopters to the Indian Army

Defence affairs analysis

Marking a key step in the long-anticipated modernization program of the Indian Army’s Aviation Corps, this Tuesday, July 22, the United States completed the delivery of the first three Boeing AH-64E Apache attack helicopters—out of a total of six—after a 15-month delay from the original timelines and schedules.

Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh described the reception of these aircraft as a “significant step” toward strengthening the country’s defensive capabilities, highlighting their operational impact, especially in hard-to-reach areas.

The contract for the acquisition of this new batch of six Apache helicopters—in their most advanced variant, designated ‘Guardian’—was signed in 2020 during the official visit of then U.S. President Donald Trump. The agreement, valued at $600 million, originally stipulated that deliveries would begin between May and June 2024. However, various factors, including global supply chain disruptions and changes in the geopolitical landscape, caused significant delays to the planned schedule.

A few weeks ago, internal sources from India’s Ministry of Defence had anticipated the arrival of these aircraft, confirming that the U.S. would carry out the delivery on July 15. Ultimately, the first three helicopters arrived this Tuesday at Hindon Air Force Base in Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh state) aboard an Antonov Airlines An-124 transport aircraft operated by the Ukrainian company Antonov Airlines. The helicopters feature a desert camouflage scheme, in line with their potential deployment in the country’s mountainous and desert regions.