Indian built helicopter Dhruv is being used in cleaning the Mauritius oil spill. HAL's Dhruv along with 3 Chetak helicopters are helping extricate skimmed oil from the vessel MV Wakashio. India had gifted One Dhruv and 2 Chetak Helicopters in December 2016 to Government of Mauritius.
HAL Dhruv is a utility helicopter designed and developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). A total of 228 Dhruv Helicopters have been produced by March 2017 including 216 for the Indian Armed Forces. It has been supplied to Nepal Army & Mauritius Police, Maldives.
India has been increasingly focusing on Atmanirbhar Bharat in defence and just a few weeks ago defence ministry had come out with 101 "negative list" of items that cant be imported.
When it comes to Chetak Helicopters, HAL started manufacturing of helicopters in 1962 by entering in an agreement with Sud Aviation (Presently M/S Airbus). The first Chetak in ‘Fly Away’ condition delivered in 1965. One of the Chetaks used to clean the Mauritius oil spill was given in 1987.
India yesterday sent equipment and a 10 member team to Mauritius to help the country deal with the crisis which it as declared as an "environmental emergency".
17/08/20 Sidhant Sibal/DNA
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