Saturday, January 22 2005 16:24 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bangalore: India today (Jan 22, 2005) displayed its homegrown aircraft - Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) and the Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT) - to visiting Chillean President Ricardo Lagos with expectations of Santiago becoming the first customer in South America for the Dhruv helicopters.

Lagos witnessed superb manoeuvres by the single-engine, fly-by-wire supersonic fighter Tejas billed as India's future workhorse and of the Intermediate Jet Trainer, as officials of aircraft maker Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) briefed the visiting delegation about the progress made by the country in the aerospace sector.

Lagos, arriving in Bangalore yesterday told reporters that Chille was considering to buy the Dhruv helicopters, which HAL is jointly marketing with Israeli Aviation Industry (IAI).

HAL is also looking at export potential of LCA and IJT in the coming decades after its induction in the Indian Air Force (IAF).

Chille's Air Force evaluated the potential of the twin-engine multi-role Dhruv last July and its operational capabilities for over a month, flying in the hills and plains of the Latin American nation.

HAL has already sold two Dhruv's to Nepal and will soon dispatch one more for the use of the Israeli Air Force, while India's armed services are currently using 35 Dhruv's. Lagos, who also visited software major Infosys and Biotech major during his two-day trip, left to Agra by a special Indian Airlines flight.