 The three branches of Indian armed forces are envisioned to be major customers for the type.According to HAL, the MLH is to be in the same class as the Russian Mil Mi 17.During the late 2000s, Indian aerospace manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), which was interested in expanding their rotorcraft offering beyond that of the existing HAL Dhruv programme, began to explore the potential for the production of a conceptual 10-tonne class helicopter; this concept came to be known as the "Medium Lift Helicopter" (MLH).