Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) has secured a contract to provide additional 5.5t Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Mk-IIIs for India’s coast guard.
The contract covers six helicopters and is valued at INR29 billion ($319 million), according to India’s defence ministry.
The contract also includes performance-based logistics support.
The Dhruv is powered by a pair of HAL/Safran Shakti-1H1 turboshafts, a co-developed engine based on the Ardiden 1 turboshaft family.
“The induction will significantly enhance the Indian Coast Guard’s capability for fulfilling the duties of safety and protection of artificial islands, offshore installations, and protection of fishermen and marine environment,” says the defence ministry.
The contract marks a vote of confidence in the rotorcraft following a turbulent 2025.
In January 2025, the fatal crash of a coast guard Dhruv triggered a five-month grounding of maritime variants to address fatigue-induced fractures in the non-rotating swashplate.
HAL has redesigned the swashplate assembly for higher stress tolerances. It has also replaced aluminium booster rods in the collective and cyclic pitch control circuits with high-tensile stainless-steel rods.
