India greenlights Rs 62,000 crore Tejas Mark 1A deal; IAF to boost indigenous fleet with 97 fighter jets

Time of India

16 hours ago

The central government on Tuesday approved the purchase of 97
LCA Tejas Mark 1A fighter jets
for the
Indian Air Force
at a cost of Rs 62,000 crore. Defence sources told ANI that the clearance came during a high-level meeting and will now allow
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
to begin production.
This marks the second major order for the Mark 1A jets. The first, placed a few years ago, was for 83 aircraft worth around Rs 48,000 crore. With the new order, the total number of LCA Mark 1A jets for the Air Force now stands at 180.
The jets are expected to replace the ageing MiG-21s, which are being phased out in the coming weeks, sources said.
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Tejas Mark 1A fighter jet: A boost for Make in India
The indigenous fighter programme enjoys strong backing from the
Defence Ministry
and Air Headquarters. Defence officials noted it will significantly support indigenisation and provide business to hundreds of small and medium enterprises engaged in defence manufacturing across India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been a key supporter of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. Under his leadership, HAL has secured orders for a range of indigenous aircraft, helicopters, and engines.
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The Prime Minister himself flew in a trainer variant of the Tejas, becoming the first Indian PM to undertake a sortie in a combat aircraft. Sharing his experience on social media, he said, 'Successfully completed a sortie on the Tejas. The experience was incredibly enriching, significantly bolstering my confidence in our country's
indigenous capabilities
, and leaving me with a renewed sense of pride and optimism about our national potential.'
Tejas Mark 1A: Technology and indigenous content
The Tejas Mark 1A features advanced avionics and radar systems, offering a significant upgrade over the initial 40 LCAs supplied to the Air Force. Defence sources said that more than 65% of components in the new aircraft are of indigenous origin, highlighting India's growing self-reliance in aerospace technology.
Former Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari had first announced the plan to acquire 97 additional jets while visiting Spain, signalling the Air Force's push to expand its indigenous fighter fleet.
HAL is expected to receive further orders for over 200 LCA Mark 2 jets and a similar number of fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft. These initiatives align with the
Atmanirbhar Bharat
and
Make in India
missions, emphasising self-reliance in defence and aerospace manufacturing.
Recently, the
Defence Acquisition Council
approved proposals for acquiring 156 LCH Prachand helicopters and upgrading 84 Su-30MKI fighters, with these projects collectively valued at Rs 1.6 lakh crore.
The first version of the Tejas aircraft was inducted in 2016. Currently, two IAF squadrons operate the aircraft, which is expected to become the largest fighter fleet in the Air Force in the coming years. An order of Rs 36,468 crore for delivery of 83 LCA Mark 1A jets has been placed with HAL, with deliveries scheduled to begin by February 2024.