Turkey appears to have obstructed the delivery of the Indian Army’s second and final batch of six AH-64E Apache helicopters. Ordered in 2020 and en route to India, the cargo plane was abruptly turned back, further delaying an already troubled schedule.
On October 30, the heavy-lift cargo aircraft, An-124 serial UR-82008, took off from its operating base in Leipzig, Germany, and arrived at Mesa Gateway Airport, also known as the Phoenix–Mesa Airport, in Arizona, according to plane spotter @KiwaSpotter.
This information was supplemented by photos showing three Apaches, all painted in the distinctive Indian Army colour scheme, being loaded onto the An-124.
After this, the plane took off from Mesa Gateway Airport on November 1 and landed at East Midlands Airport in England, where it remained on the ground for 8 days.
On November 8, instead of continuing its onward journey to India, the An-124 and its cargo flew back to the Mesa Gateway Airport. The Apaches were unloaded from the An-124 upon arrival and towed away by F-250 trucks at the American airport, as seen in additional photos posted on social media.
Antonov An-124 UR-82008 arrived at KIWA this afternoon from Leipzig, Germany, to pick up 3 AH-64E Apaches for the Indian Army. pic.twitter.com/5PNuAYGIcx
— KIWA Spotter (@KiwaSpotter) October 30, 2025
Some reports, citing a Boeing spokesperson, noted that the unprecedented detour was made owing to unknown “logistical issues.”
However, a reliable source who wished to remain anonymous told the EurAsian Times that the An-124 was stuck in England for a week before returning to the United States because Turkey refused to grant airspace clearance for the cargo aircraft carrying the AH-64Es.
The source cited “the current state of relations between India and Turkey” when probed further on why the clearance from Turkey was withheld.
India-Turkey relations have hit a new low following Ankara’s overt alignment with Pakistan during the May 2025 four-day war. Not only did Turkey publicly condemn India’s strikes under Operation Sindoor—launched to avenge the Pahalgam terror attack—but it also supplied Islamabad with military aid, including dozens of drones.
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Turkey’s unprecedented diplomatic, military, and media propaganda support to Islamabad after the ghastly terror attacks added fuel to the fire, worsening ties.
India initially responded by blocking the X accounts of some Turkish media publications that were reportedly peddling ‘fake news’ and by revoking the security clearance for Celebi Airport Services, as reported by the EurAsian Times at the time.
The media accounts were later restored, but this snowballed into a larger issue: hundreds of top trade leaders from India announced a total boycott of travel, business, and cultural interactions with Turkey, leading to a significant decline in Indian tourists visiting Turkey.
Turkey and Pakistan are close allies, and Ankara has traditionally lent diplomatic support to Islamabad. For instance, the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly internationalized Kashmir at the UN General Assembly (UNGA), calling it a “threat to peace” in speeches since 2019, a move that has been seen by New Delhi as interference in its internal affairs. However, the open military support for Pakistan during an armed conflict was the last nail in whatever remained of the India-Turkey relationship.
India has also been pushing back by strengthening ties with Turkey’s regional rivals—Greece, Cyprus, and Armenia, as explained in detail by the EurAsian Times earlier.
More recently, India skipped the Turkish National Day celebrations in New Delhi in late October, showcasing the persisting strain in diplomatic ties.
Apaches For the Indian Army Delayed Again
The Indian Air Force (IAF) already operates 22 Apache helicopters that were ordered in 2015. The first and second batches of US-made Apache AH-64Es were inducted by the IAF at the Pathankot Air Force Station and Jorhat, Assam, respectively.
Shook by the border crisis with China, the Indian Army also placed an order for the Apache AH-64E helicopters, also known as “tanks in the air.”
The Indian Army inked a $600 million deal with the US in 2020 for six Apache AH-64E helicopters. The first batch was originally slated for delivery in May-June 2024, a timeline repeatedly pushed back due to supply chain interruptions, until the choppers were delivered in July 2025. The second batch was earmarked for delivery by November 2025.
After receiving the first batch of Apaches earlier this year, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh declared, “These… helicopters will enhance the Army Aviation wing’s operational effectiveness, especially in challenging terrains.”
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Boeing describes the AH-64E Apache helicopter as “an advanced multi-mission helicopter with the latest technology insertions, maintaining its standing as the world’s best attack helicopter. It is the only available combat helicopter with a spectrum of capabilities for virtually any mission requirement, including greater thrust and lift, joint digital operability, improved survivability, and cognitive decision aiding.”
The Apache AH-64E is intended for use in mountainous terrains. It can operate in hostile airspace with ground threats and launch precise assaults at standoff ranges. It is a fourth-generation twin-engine, tandem-seat, heavily armed, all-weather, day/night precision-strike platform that may be used for a variety of tasks, such as armed reconnaissance, anti-ship operations, close air support (CAS), and anti-armor operations.
The chopper’s avionics suite is state-of-the-art, centered on the Lockheed Martin Arrowhead third-generation forward-looking infrared (FLIR) system and the AN/APG-78 Longbow millimeter-wave fire-control radar mounted above the main rotor.
The Apaches are designed as “tank killers,” with Hellfire missiles capable of precision strikes against Pakistani or Chinese armored units in the event of a conflict. They can effectively engage 16 targets simultaneously with their Longbow radar, which can identify and prioritize up to 128 targets in under a minute, making them useful in situations requiring a quick reaction against PLA ground forces.
The AH-64E’s sophisticated sensors and targeting systems allow for day/night and all-weather missions, which are essential given the unpredictability of India’s volatile borders.
The choppers are tailored for high-altitude operations, critical for India’s western border with Pakistan and for potential Himalayan deployments along the contested Line of Actual Control (LAC) near China, and feature Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) for drone integration.
The helos are tailored for high-altitude operations, critical for India’s western border with Pakistan and for potential Himalayan deployments along the contested Line of Actual Control (LAC) near China, and feature Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) for drone integration.
- Contact the author at sakshi.tiwari13 (at) outlook.com
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