During the maiden visit of the Philippines Coast Guard (PCG) Chief to India in August this year, the demonstration flight onboard Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) MK-III piqued the interest of the Southeast Asian country.
On Sunday, Filipino President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr. said India has offered to provide the PCG with seven helicopters.
A release from the Presidential Communications Office on November 5 said that President Marco will be discussing the proposal with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and PCG. The statement was preceded by a meeting between the Philippines President and the Indian Ambassador to the archipelagic country Shambhu Kumaran.
If the deal goes through, the Philippines will be the first country to buy DHRUV MK-III. Earlier, it was the first export customer of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles manufactured under a joint venture with Russia.
The communique said that the chopper would help in building up the “search-and-rescue” capability of the country’s Coast Guard and would also augment its maritime security capabilities.
The DHRUV MK-III is a variant of the indigenous Dhruv Helicopter. The MK-III variant has been inducted into the Indian Navy and Coast Guard. It is a multi-role, multi-mission, and versatile helicopter in the 5.5-ton category.
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