Army Aviation Corps Day was observed on Sunday as the Corps marked its 41st Raising Day. Lieutenant General Vinod Nambiar, Director General and Colonel Commandant, Army Aviation Corps, laid a wreath at the National War Memorial in New Delhi in honour of the personnel who laid down their lives in the line of duty.

The Corps was raised on November 1, 1986. Four decades on, the Army calls it its aerial manoeuvre arm.

General Dhiraj Seth leads greetings on Army Aviation Corps Day

Chief of the Army Staff General Dhiraj Seth and all ranks of the Indian Army conveyed their best wishes to serving personnel, veterans and families of the Corps. Air Marshal Tejinder Singh, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC), sent greetings on behalf of Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff. The headquarters credited the Corps with rapid mobility, troop lift, logistics support and precision firepower.

Lieutenant General Pushpendra Singh, Army Commander, Western Command, also extended greetings. The Army Commander pointed to the Corps' work in aerial reconnaissance, battlefield mobility, casualty evacuation and combat support.

Corps helicopters fly from Siachen to the plains

The Corps provides the Army with reconnaissance, surveillance, battlefield mobility, casualty evacuation and tactical support. According to the Army, it operates in some of the most difficult terrain in the country, including the Siachen Glacier.

On the glacier, light helicopters carry supplies to high posts and bring out sick and injured soldiers. Often they are the only quick link between a forward post and the base. Weather can close the window for days, and crews fly whenever it opens. The Cheetah has done this job for decades, and the indigenous Advanced Light Helicopter, built by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), now flies alongside them. HAL's newer Dhruv NG is a civil version of the same family.

The fleet also includes attack helicopters. The Rudra is the armed version of the Advanced Light Helicopter, and the Army has inducted the Light Combat Helicopter Prachand and the AH-64E Apache. Army Apaches flew integrated drills at Yudh Abhyas with Indian and US troops in September.

Drones join the Corps modernisation drive

The Corps is modernising to keep pace with the changing character of warfare. The Army said this includes the induction of advanced aviation platforms and the integration of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS).

These steps are improving battlefield awareness, response time and readiness for future challenges, the Army said.

Army to get 90 Prachand helicopters

A major addition is the Prachand. In March 2025, the Ministry of Defence signed contracts with HAL for 156 Light Combat Helicopters worth Rs 62,700 crore, including training and associated equipment. Of these, 90 are for the Army and 66 for the Indian Air Force. The helicopter is designed and built in India for operations at high altitude.

Army Aviation Corps flies relief missions in emergencies

The Corps has also played a key role in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations, providing timely help and evacuation during emergencies. Disaster relief is a regular Army task, as seen in floods such as Operation Jal Rahat in Assam this year.

On Sunday, the Corps paid homage to its fallen personnel and acknowledged the contribution of veterans and the support of their families.

Lieutenant General Nambiar had marked the 40th Raising Day last year with a message crediting the Corps with roles in tactical air support, high altitude operations and battlefield mobility.

The Corps' motto is Suveg va Sudridh, or Swift and Sure. Before 1986, Army officers flew Air Observation Post flights to spot targets for the artillery, and those units formed the core of the new Corps.