Trump’s claim on US-India helicopter deal stirs controversy

The US leader alleged that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked for his intervention in speeding up a delivery of Apaches

US President Donald Trump has sparked a controversy by claiming that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought his help to facilitate faster deliveries of dozens of Apache helicopters that India ordered from the US.

Speaking at the House GOP Member Retreat on Tuesday, Trump claimed that India had ordered 68 Apache attack helicopters and faced a delay in delivery.

“I had India coming to me and [saying] “we have been waiting for five years. We are changing it. India ordered 68 Apaches, and Prime Minister Modi came to me and said ‘Sir, can I please see you please?” Trump said.

While Indian politicians and commenters found Trump’s “condescending tone” for Modi as “demeaning,” Indian media was quick to fact-check the statement, noting that India had only ordered 28 Apaches in several tranches.

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“India ordered Apache helicopters and didn’t get them for 5 years. PM Modi came to me and said ‘Sir can I please see you?’
His condescending tone for India’s PM is demeaning. The GoI’s silence to all his insulting statements is bizarre because it reflects…

— Priyanka Chaturvedi???????? (@priyankac19) January 7, 2026

“It takes too long to get them... I had India come up to me saying they've been waiting 5 years. India ordered 68 Apache helicopters. PM Modi came to see me,” claimed Donald Trump.

As per reports, India has ordered a total of 28 Apache helicopters in total, and they have all… pic.twitter.com/FUya7txLGU

— CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18News) January 7, 2026

The Times of India, citing a review of official contracts, delivery records, and deployment details, reported that New Delhi has acquired only 28 Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian helicopters through multiple deals.

The first contract, worth around $2.2 billion, was signed in September 2015, in the final months of the Obama administration, for 22 Apaches for the Indian Air Force (IAF). Deliveries were completed by 2020, during Trump’s first term.

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A separate deal covered six helicopters for the Indian Army Aviation Corps. This contract experienced significant delivery delays. According to the report, the final three helicopters were delivered in December of last year.

Meanwhile, speaking on Tuesday, Trump also claimed that he has good relationship with Modi, although the Indian prime minister was “not happy” with him over the 50% tariff imposed by the US on the South Asian nation over its purchases of Russian oil.

“I have a very good relationship with Prime Minister Modi, but he is not happy with me as India is paying high tariffs. But now they have reduced it very substantially, buying oil from Russia,” he added.

India was slapped with unprecedented tariffs as it has so far been unable to reach a trade deal with Washington. Negotiations are still ongoing. On Monday, Trump threatened to further raise tariffs if India continued to buy oil from Russia.

Trump previously stated on several occasions that he had brokered the ceasefire between India and Pakistan following the two countries’ military stand-off last year. New Delhi has denied the US role in stopping the hostilities.