The Indian Air Force is in a bind over its “lalbattis-in-the-sky” that are now “mothballed on the ground”.
It has asked an equally vexed defence ministry to make up its mind on what it should do with three super-luxury AW101 VVIP helicopters that were meant to fly the President, Prime Minister and other dignitaries but have been dismantled and stowed in protective casing in a hangar at the Palam air base.
The helicopters are occupying valuable space in the airbase. The IAF decided to mothball them since former defence minister A.K. Antony decided on January 1 this year to terminate the Rs 3,600-crore contract with AgustaWestland for 12 of the helicopters.
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