Russia Hopes to Revive Ka-226T Project with India at Aero India 2023

Russia’s Rosoboronexport said it hopes to revive the project to jointly produce Ka-226T light utility helicopters with India at the upcoming Aero India 2023.

In an official release today, Rosoboronexport said it will present the Ka-226T. “The production of which is suggested to be launched under the Make-in-India program on the premises of Indo-Russian Helicopters Limited, a joint venture with the participation of Russian and Indian industrial companies.”

In December 2021, Russia said it made the most favorable offer to build Ka-226Ts in India.

In 2015, India and Russian governments signed up to manufacture for 200 Ka-226T helicopters at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)’s plant at Tumkur, Karnataka, is estimated to cost over $1 billion. The Kamov-226T is meant to replace the Cheetah and Chetak fleets of the Indian Army and the Air Force. Of the 200 helicopters, 60 are meant to be manufactured at the Russian Helicopters (RH) plant in Ulan Ude. RH announced at the end of 2020 that manufacturing had commenced for the first few helicopter airframes for the Indian order.

The Indian media have reported citing senior government officials that the contract is likely to be shelved. The two sides could reportedly not yet narrow differences on cost and extent of indigenous content.