The defence Ministry today approved procurement of 111 utility helicopters for the Indian Navy at a cost of 21,738 crore rupees under strategic partnership model. <br/><br/>The proposal was cleared at a meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi. <br/><br/>Official sources said, 16 helicopters will be procured at a fly away condition while 95 will be manufactured under make in India programme.<br/><br/>The government will now start the process to identify a foreign helicopter maker and an Indian defence firm for a joint venture for the project. <br/><br/>In May, the government had unveiled the strategic partnership model under which select private firms were to be roped in to build military platforms such as submarines and fighter jets in India. <br/><br/>The procurement of the helicopters will be the first major acquisition project under the new model.