<p>State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) Saturday handed over its flagship product Advance Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv to Maldives for induction into its defence forces.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Maldivian Defence and National Security Minister Mohamed Nazim received the all-weather chopper from HAL chairman R.K. Tyagi in the presence of Southern Naval Command's Commander-in-Chief Vice Admiral Satish Soni at the Kochi naval base in coastal Kerala.<br />"The ALH will be in Male in January as a made-in-India product with proven track record in both military and civil operations," Tyagi said on the occasion.<br /><br />HAL has positioned a technical support team in Male to provide maintenance and logistical support.<br /><br />Dhruv will be operated in Maldives for surveillance, medical evacuation, in assisting civil administration, training and rescue operations.<br /><br />As the multi-role, multi-mission new generation helicopter is in the 5.5-tonne weight class, Dhruv meets the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) specifications. <br /><br />It has also demonstrated its capability in long distance flights, vertical climb and manoeuvring.<br />The Bangalore-based HAL exported Dhruv to Ecuador, Mauritius and Nepal. Ecuador Air Force operates six Dhruv helicopters and that country's president chooses to fly in one of them.<br /><br />Currently, 130 Dhruv helicopters are serving in India as part of operations undertaken by the air force, army, navy, Coast Guard, Border Security Force and state governments, since 2002.<br /><br />HAL also built 12 civil variants of Dhruv for its other customers. </p>
<p>State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) Saturday handed over its flagship product Advance Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv to Maldives for induction into its defence forces.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Maldivian Defence and National Security Minister Mohamed Nazim received the all-weather chopper from HAL chairman R.K. Tyagi in the presence of Southern Naval Command's Commander-in-Chief Vice Admiral Satish Soni at the Kochi naval base in coastal Kerala.<br />"The ALH will be in Male in January as a made-in-India product with proven track record in both military and civil operations," Tyagi said on the occasion.<br /><br />HAL has positioned a technical support team in Male to provide maintenance and logistical support.<br /><br />Dhruv will be operated in Maldives for surveillance, medical evacuation, in assisting civil administration, training and rescue operations.<br /><br />As the multi-role, multi-mission new generation helicopter is in the 5.5-tonne weight class, Dhruv meets the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) specifications. <br /><br />It has also demonstrated its capability in long distance flights, vertical climb and manoeuvring.<br />The Bangalore-based HAL exported Dhruv to Ecuador, Mauritius and Nepal. Ecuador Air Force operates six Dhruv helicopters and that country's president chooses to fly in one of them.<br /><br />Currently, 130 Dhruv helicopters are serving in India as part of operations undertaken by the air force, army, navy, Coast Guard, Border Security Force and state governments, since 2002.<br /><br />HAL also built 12 civil variants of Dhruv for its other customers. </p>