New Delhi, Oct 3: The Indian Air Force on Monday received the first batch of indigenously developed light combat helicopters. Defense Minister of India Rajnath Singh today attended the induction ceremony of the first indigenous Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) in Jodhpur, Rajasthan.

According to the Indian Media, At the induction ceremony, the ‘Sarv-dharam’ prayer was offered and IAF Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari was also present.

“For a long time, there was a need for attack helicopters and during the 1999 Kargil war, its need was felt seriously. The LCH is a result of research & development for two decades. And its induction into the IAF is an important milestone in defence production,” speaking at the induction ceremony, Rajnath Singh said.

“LCH is capable of dodging the enemy, carrying a variety of ammunition, and delivering it to the site quickly. LCH perfectly meets the needs of our armed forces in various terrains and it is an ideal platform for both our Army and Airforce,” he added.

Notably, the Light Combat Helicopter is a dedicated combat helicopter designed and developed in India and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). According to HAL, the light attack helicopter is the only attack helicopter in the world that can land and take off at an altitude of 5,000 meters (16,00 feet) with heavy weapons and fuel load and meets India’s special requirements.