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President Donald Trump has claimed that India ordered 68 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters from the United States and that delivery delays were so severe that Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally sought a meeting with him to raise the issue.
A review of official contracts, delivery records, and deployment data shows that the claim does not align with the facts. India has ordered 28 Boeing Apaches in total, not 68, and all of them have now been delivered.
Trump is in the habit of exaggerating figures and timelines to leverage his personal influence, as has been the pattern in public messaging, particularly since he took office in 2025 and weaponised tariffs. Although there were indeed delivery delays that frustrated New Delhi, the numbers he mentioned were significantly inflated. Additionally, there is no independent confirmation that Prime Minister Modi made the personal appeals that Trump described.
Two Separate Deals, Not One Mega Purchase
India’s Apache acquisition took place in two distinct tranches:
- September 2015: India signed a contract worth about Rs 14,000 crore for 22 Apache choppers for the Indian Air Force.
- Deliveries began in 2019 and concluded by 2020, during Trump’s first term.
- February 2020: A follow-on contract worth around Rs 6,000 crore was signed for six Apaches for the Indian Army Aviation Corps, which was inducted in 2025
- This is the order that saw delays.
Together, these account for 28 helicopters, well short of Trump’s figure.
Real Delays and Why It Happened
The Indian Air Force Apaches arrived broadly on schedule.
The six Army Apaches, however, were delayed by roughly 15–24 months. Deliveries were initially expected to begin in early 2024 but did not conclude until December 2025.
Several factors contributed to the situation:
- COVID-19: The pandemic disrupted the post-pandemic supply chain, impacting the availability of engines and critical avionics.
- Production Prioritisation: The US Defence Priorities and Allocations System prioritised military needs over exports.
- Technical Reviews: Additional electrical and power-system safety checks were introduced.
- Logistical Interruptions: There was a significant delay when an Antonov-124 flight had to turn back due to Turkish denial of flight clearance, which delayed the schedule.
These were real irritants for India, but they affected only six helicopters, not 68.
Did Trump Mix Up Helicopter Deals?
Trump may have conflated the Apache deal with India’s purchase of 15 CH-47F Chinook heavy-lift helicopters, also from Boeing, signed in roughly the same period.
Even combined, the Apache and Chinook totals come to 43 aircraft, still far short of 68.
There is no record in Ministry of Defence (MoD) filings or US Foreign Military Sales notifications of any additional Apache orders, despite the Indian Army’s earlier projected requirement of 39.
Political instability in US policy, supply disruptions, and increasing strategic competition with China have intensified New Delhi’s efforts to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers.
To conclude, there is no evidence that Modi personally pleaded over delayed deliveries in the manner Trump described. Off course he raised concerns with Trump during his US viisit in February last year over the delay. The exaggeration may play well politically, but it obscures the real story: India’s growing determination to ensure its future combat aviation plans are less exposed to external political and industrial turbulence. That is why India is scaling up the indigenous HAL Prachand Light Combat Helicopter, optimised for high-altitude operations, including above 20,000 feet, where the Apache is constrained.
Team BharatShakti
