HAL sells 3 choppers to ONGC for Rs 100 cr

State-run aircraft maker Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd on Friday said it bagged its biggest civilian order from Oil and Natural Gas Corporation for three homegrown advanced light helicopters for a value of Rs 100 crore (Rs 1 billion).

HAL will deliver the civil variant of the 13-seater ALH, christened Dhruv, to ONGC for ferrying staff and machinery to oil rigs of the oil exploration company, a statement from the Bangalore-based HAL said in Bangalore.

Dhruv's capabilities were proven over the Bombay High a few months ago after ONGC expressed a desire to buy the helicopter, designed and built by the public sector HAL.

HAL said it has already bagged an order to supply two ALHs to the Jharkhand government, besides leasing one Dhruv to the Karnataka government for ferrying VIPs.

It has already entered into an agreement with Israel to lease one ALH for ferrying VIPs in the West Asian nation, while it is holding talks to sell Dhruvs to the Chilean armed forces.

India's armed forces have already deployed over a dozen Dhruvs in their operations, officials said.