Ka-226t Helicopter: India-Russia Ka-226T helicopter construction can start again, will soon get good news, Pakistan’s stuck breath

The old India-Russia’s old helicopter deal is expected to resume. According to media reports, during Vladimir Putin’s visit to India in December 2025, the talk on the KA-226T light utility helicopter can begin again. Russia has prepared the VK-650V Turboshaft engine itself. This engine will replace the earlier French Safran Arrius 2G1 engine, which Russia could not get due to restrictions from Western countries.

New VK-650V engine
The VK-650 V developed by ODK-climov is a Russian turboshaft engine designed for light helicopters such as KA-226 T and ENSAT. It comes 650 hp (with emergency power up to 750 hp) and has a modular design with FADEC digital control. The special thing is that this engine is also optimized for high-altitude operations. In hilly areas like Ladakh and Arunachal, you will be able to work easily, where the wind is thin and the weather is very hard.

According to The Eurasian Times report, the ENSAT was originally powered by the Prat and Whitney Canada PW207K engine. Russia had to develop its alternative power plant due to the ban on export of these engines.

What is Indo-Russian Helicopters Limited Scheme
In 2015, India and Russia signed an agreement for the joint construction of at least 200 KA-226T light utility helicopters. Under the scheme, 60 helicopters will be imported and 140 helicopter joint ventures will be built locally by Indo-Resian Helicoptors Limited (IRHL).

Why this project was stuck
Let us know that Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has 50.5 percent, Russian helicopters have 42.5 percent and Rosoboronaxport has 7 percent stock. The project was stopped for several reasons in early 2022. India’s defense procurement board wanted to give more time to HAL to meet the development of its light utility helicopter (LUH) as indigenous option.

Apart from this, India needed 70 percent indigenous material, but Russia could only give 62 percent, because the engine was foreign. Now Russia may be able to offer more than 70 percent localization level with KA-226T operated by VK-650V developed by Russia.

Also read

Kohinoor Diamond: How did the Tawaif of the Mughal Sultanate steal Kohinoor? The king cheated in the name of love