India-made planes arrive for GDF

Last Updated on Monday, 1 April 2024, 6:18 by Denis Chabrol

One of the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited-made Dornier 228 planes inside an India Air Force military transport aircraft at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.

Two weeks after Guyana signed a US$23.27 million deal to buy two India-made Dornier aircraft for the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), two India Air Force  transport planes touched down at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport on Sunday with the two planes, sources said.

The two Boeing C-17 Globemaster military transport planes arrived in Guyana shortly after 6 PM Sunday with the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)-manufactured Dornier 228 planes.

Their arrival here of the two  Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL) aircraft followed the March 15, 2024 signing of a loan agreement between the Ministry of Finance and India’s Export-Import Bank of India for financing the purchase.

The HAL 228 planes are said to be ideal for STOLs on Guyana’s terrain and would be used for maritime patrols as well as, resupply of military bases, troop movement to interior locations.

High Commissioner of India to Guyana, Dr. Amit Telang earlier this month said the Line of Credit (LOC) Agreement is the first ever defence LOC signed with the Caribbean region.

An India Air Force transport plane at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport with one of the HAL Dornier 228 planes for the Guyana Defence Force.

The Finance Ministry said the Chief of Staff of the GDF, Brigadier Omar Khan, while speaking on behalf of the defence sector, recognised role that the Government of India has played in defence training over decades in Guyana and noted that today’s signing is in keeping with President Ali’s vision of a strengthened security sector that will help to maintain the peace and prosperity for One Guyana.

Guyana and India established diplomatic relations on May 26, 1966, and continue to have a robust developmental cooperation programme aimed towards the mutual benefit of both countries.