• The Defence Ministry approved Indian Navy’s proposal to acquire 10 Kamov-31 choppers from Russia at a cost of around Rs 3,600 crore.
• It will strengthen its capability against aerial threats to its aircraft carriers and large warships.
• The Navy already has a fleet of 12 of these Kamov-31 choppers which sanitise the air space around the aircraft carriers and destroyers operating in open seas.

BACKGROUND:

• The Kamov-31 helicopters would be deployed on Indian Navy’s aircraft carriers and warships including INS Vikrant and Grigorovich-class frigates.
• Its deployment is largely aimed at sanitising air space around battle groups which are led by aircraft carriers while carrying out defence operations in open sea or anti-submarine warfare operations.
• It is a military helicopter manufactured by ‘JSC Kamov’ (a Russian rotorcraft manufacturing company) and development started in 1987 for Soviet Navy.
• It is currently in service in Russia, China and India in Naval role These are Airborne Early Warning and Control helicopters based on Ka-27 (Ka-28) design
• For anti-submarine warfare operations Indian Navy already has fleet of Russian ‘Kamov-28’ choppers along with ‘Seaking’ choppers which were procured in 1980s but they need to be upgraded for future operations.