A report says Donald Trump incorrectly claimed that India bought 68 Apache helicopters. In reality, India ordered 28 Apaches through two contracts signed in 2015 and 2020.
US President Donald Trump drew fresh attention and scrutiny this week with an inaccurate claim about India’s purchase of Apache attack helicopters from the United States, according to a report in the Times of India. The incident underscores how political narratives can sometimes distort defence facts for broader impact, especially when shared on high-visibility platforms.
In a public address on Tuesday, Trump asserted that India had ordered 68 Apache helicopters from the United States and implied that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had repeatedly raised concerns about delivery delays directly with him, even using the phrase “Sir, may I see you, please?” in his recounting. However, an examination of official contracts, delivery records and military sources indicates that this depiction does not align with the factual timeline or scale of deals between the two countries.
AH-64E Apache Guardian helicopters in two phases
According to the Times of India, India’s procurement of Boeing-made AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters occurred in two distinct phases, neither of which amounts to the 68-unit figure Trump cited. The first agreement dates back to September 2015, near the end of the Obama administration, when New Delhi contracted for 22 Apaches at an estimated $2.2 billion. All 22 helicopters were delivered on schedule by 2020, a term that partly overlapped with Trump’s first presidential tenure.
A follow-on deal — signed in February 2020 during Trump’s visit to India — involved six additional Apache helicopters for the Indian Army Aviation Corps, valued between $600 million and $800 million. These six choppers faced significant delivery delays, largely due to supply-chain disruptions, prioritisation of other defence orders and logistical challenges. While the first three of these were received in July 2025, the remaining units arrived only by December 2025, almost two years behind initial expectations.
Combined, the two contracts total 28 Apache helicopters — less than half the number Trump claimed. Moreover, the Times of India notes there is no official record of any additional Apache orders beyond these 28 in the Ministry of Defence or US Foreign Military Sales notifications.
Analysts suggest that Trump’s figure may have conflated India’s Apache purchases with contracts for other Boeing helicopters, such as the CH-47F Chinook heavy-lift helicopters, part of separate defence deals that brought 15 units into service earlier. Even combined, Apache and Chinook purchases amount to 43 helicopters, still short of 68.
The inaccuracy also reflects broader patterns in Trump’s public recounting of foreign policy achievements. Critics have previously flagged that he sometimes simplifies or exaggerates numbers and timelines to emphasise US leverage or personal involvement transforming complex diplomatic or military arrangements into digestible sound bites that bolster his leadership narrative.
Beyond numbers, the episode highlights evolving defence dynamics between India and the United States. While the Apache helicopters have become a key component of India’s attack helicopter capability particularly in plains and desert sectors New Delhi is increasingly balancing foreign purchases with indigenous platforms, such as the HAL Prachand Light Combat Helicopter. Designed to operate at extreme altitudes like Siachen, the Prachand is slated for wider deployment, signalling India’s intent to deepen self-reliance under initiatives like Make in India.
Experts say that while Trump’s statement may be politically motivated, the underlying story of delayed deliveries and evolving procurement strategies illustrates the complex interplay of geopolitical partnerships, defence logistics and national priorities that shape modern military alliances.