Ecuador to India: Take back your choppers

New Delhi: A day after the crash of an Indian made Dhruv helicopter in Ecuador at a military parade, front page newspaper reports in the country say the helicopter is unfit for service and the remaining six Dhruvs in the country could be returned to India.

For Hindustan Aeronautics, the manufacturers of the chopper, this is bad news as it tries to break into international markets with its flagship helicopter.

Other dailies on the newspaper have questioned the $49 million deal to acquire the helicopters from India altogether.

Even two days after the crash, there is no official statement from HAL, even though the Ecuadorian Air Force has not ruled out the possibility of pilot error.

What's clear is that the timing of the crash is bad news for HAL. Ecuador is the Dhruv's biggest international customer as HAL struggles to break into foreign markets.

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So the Dhruv has been sold or leased in very low numbers despite being 30 per cent cheaper than Western types. As per now, only nine Dhruvs operate in Nepal, Israel, and Ecuador. Chile has rejected the helicopter, but Peru and Turkey are likely to acquire a total of five.

For its part, HAL has still not reacted officially to news of the crash, even though the Ecuadorian Air Chief has not ruled out the possibility of pilot error.

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Ironically, the Dhruv is well accepted in India where it operates on the Siachen glacier at altitudes higher than any helicopter of its class.

"This was a serious crash, but the fact that the crew members made it shows the survivability of the helicopter and credit must be given to its designers," said Air Marshal Fali H Major, former chief of air staff.

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The battle to win mindsets in foreign markets is perhaps HAL's biggest challenge. So far that's a battle HAL seems to be losing as it tries to emerge as a serious international player.