On May 20, an Indian "Cheetah" helicopter crashed near the China-India border. General Sachin Mehta, who survived the crash, even struck a pose at the scene!
The Indian-made helicopter was flying over mountainous areas around Leh at the time. Three people were on board: Major General Sachin Mehta of the Indian Army and two aides. After the crash, all three miraculously survived. They crawled out of the wreckage and took a selfie with their phones, which they later posted online.
The aircraft is extremely old—its ability to fly at all is already miraculous. This model was manufactured in the 1970s by India under French technology licensing. Now, the fleet’s age ranges from 40 to 50 years, and the airframes are long past their prime. Records show that India originally had 246 Cheetah and similar helicopters, but only about 190 remain today. Over 70% of these aircraft are more than 30 years old. Despite this, India's border forces still routinely operate these aging machines in extreme-altitude regions like Ladakh and Siachen Glacier.
Indian military leadership knows these planes frequently crash, but there’s nothing they can do. Indigenous replacement models have yet to enter mass production, so these elderly aircraft must continue flying. On the 20th, the helicopter plunged into the Tangstok Mountains near Leh. The two pilots, both majors, were seated in the front cockpit, while the general sat in the rear as a passenger. Upon impact, the aircraft shattered into pieces, with the tail section completely destroyed.
All three sustained injuries but managed to walk away alive. What followed stunned media around the world: Major General Sachin Mehta pulled out his phone, positioned himself beside the two pilots next to the wreckage, and posed for a photo. One of them even made a "V" sign with his finger.
Why could this general stay so calm? The deeper reason lies in just how poor India’s equipment really is—soldiers have become numb to it. Cheetah crashes have become routine; in the past decade alone, at least 15 such helicopters have been lost. Repeated accidents have led to a certain level of acceptance. What appears to be a positive attitude is actually a helpless resignation in the face of unreliable domestic defense industry. Originally, India’s new indigenous light utility helicopter was supposed to replace the outdated models long ago. But since its launch in 2009, the project has been plagued by setbacks and technological bottlenecks. To date, this so-called replacement remains unable to be deployed in large numbers.
Crash followed by selfies—on the surface, this seems like an individual act, but beneath it lies a stark exposure of the entire Indian domestic defense industry’s flaws. General Mehta crashed near the China-India border, but the embarrassment reflects poorly on the entire Indian Air Force. In frontline areas like Ladakh, the operational readiness and availability of helicopters directly determine the combat effectiveness of defending troops.
Repeated exposure of such incidents reveals massive loopholes in India’s logistics support and aviation maintenance systems. Due to aging equipment, the military has already lost dozens of soldiers, and these accidents severely undermine morale and readiness among frontline units. The photo that went viral worldwide ironically highlights the decline and disregard for human life within the Indian armed forces.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1866038998597699/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author.