HAL ALH Dhruv Army and Air Force Variants Cleared for Operational Use
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) announced that the Army and Air Force variants of the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv have been cleared for operational deployment following recommendations by a Defect Investigation Committee. The clearance enables resumption of operations after a temporary suspension.
The ALH fleet had been grounded after a Coast Guard ALH Mark-III crashed in Porbandar, Gujarat, on January 5, 2025, resulting in the deaths of two pilots and an aircrew diver. Subsequent investigations identified a critical design flaw in the aluminium booster control rods, which led to a reduction in fatigue life due to assembly errors involving serrated washers. To address this, HAL initiated the replacement of aluminium control rods with steel ones across the fleet. As of October 2023, control rods for 120 helicopters had been dispatched, with the remaining replacements scheduled through June 2024.
During the grounding period, the Indian Army employed civil helicopters to maintain logistical support to forward posts in regions like Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand . The ALH fleet, comprising over 330 helicopters operated by the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard, has experienced multiple incidents in recent years, prompting calls for design re-evaluations.
In March 2025, the Ministry of Defence signed contracts worth INR 8,073.17 crore (approximately USD 970 million) with HAL for the acquisition of 34 ALH Dhruv Mk III helicopters—25 for the Indian Army and 9 for the Indian Coast Guard. The project is expected to generate an estimated 190 million man-hours of employment and involve over 200 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and 70 local vendors.
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited is a state-owned aerospace and defence company headquartered in Bengaluru. It designs, manufactures, and maintains aircraft, helicopters, avionics, and related systems, primarily for military and government clients.