Before the early 2000s, the Indonesian Army Aviation Corps primarily operated transport and utility helicopters such as the Bell 412, BO-105, and Puma, all with only limited armament for light attack roles. The need for a dedicated attack helicopter soon became apparent, particularly for counterinsurgency operations in remote jungle terrain where ground access was difficult. The Mil Mi-35P (export variant of the Mi-24P) was chosen as the ideal solution, as it combined a heavy weapons payload with the ability to transport small groups of troops, a capability unmatched by any previous Indonesian helicopter. Its procurement also strengthened defence ties with Russia at a time when Indonesia faced arms embargoes from the United States and Europe following the East Timor conflict of the late 1990s. Alongside the Mi-35P, Indonesia acquired Mi-17 transport helicopters as well as Su-27 and Su-30 fighter aircraft, diversifying its arsenal away from Western suppliers. The first two Mi-35Ps were delivered in 2003, with additional airframes arriving in stages until 2010.

The Indonesian Mi-35 was introduced in Update "Tusk Force" as part of the Japanese research tree. In terms of performance and armament, it is functionally identical to the Soviet Mi-24P. Both have the same GSh-30-2K 30 mm twin-barrel autocannon mounted on the starboard side, the same Shturm loadout, R-60s, rockets, bombs, and gunpods. The only difference is in their engines, with the Indonesian Mi-35P receiving an improved engine compared to the Russian Mi-24P, although the improvement is barely noticeable as it only generates 80 more horsepower and 10 more kilogram-force.