Latest news with #LCATejasMark1A
Economic Times
7 hours ago
- Business
- Economic Times
India greenlights Rs 62,000 crore Tejas Mark 1A deal; IAF to boost indigenous fleet with 97 fighter jets
Synopsis The Indian government has approved the purchase of 97 LCA Tejas Mark 1A fighter jets for the Indian Air Force, strengthening indigenous defence manufacturing. With over 65% of components made in India, the aircraft will replace ageing MiG-21s. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a strong supporter of HAL, flew a Tejas sortie last week, praising India's aerospace capabilities. ANI India clears Rs 62,000 crore deal to buy 97 LCA Mark 1A fighter jets 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 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 jets are expected to replace the ageing MiG-21s, which are being phased out in the coming weeks, sources 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 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. 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.'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 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 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.(With inputs from ANI)
NDTV
7 hours ago
- Business
- NDTV
Centre Clears Rs 62,000-Crore Deal To Buy 97 Tejas Mark 1A Fighter Jets
New Delhi: In a major boost for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Make in India in defence project, India on Tuesday cleared the project for buying 97 LCA Tejas Mark 1A fighter jets for the Indian Air Force. The final approval for the acquisition of 97 LCA Mark 1A fighters was given by a high-level meeting today and will pave the way for Hindustan Aeronautics Limited to produce the aircraft, defence sources told ANI. This will be the second order for the LCA Mark 1A fighters, as the government has already placed orders for 83 aircraft a few years ago for around Rs 48,000 crore. The programme will help the IAF to replace its fleet of MiG- 21s, which are finally being phased out by the government in next few weeks, they said. The indigenous fighter aircraft programme, fully backed by Defence Ministry and Air Headquarters is set to be a big boost for promoting indigenisation as well as give major business to the small and medium enterprises engaged in defence business across the country, they said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been pushing for the revival of the HAL, which has bagged orders for building all types of indigenous fighter aircraft, helicopters, along with the engines for them under his government. The Prime Minister had also undertaken a sortie in the trainer variant of the indigenous fighter, which was first-ever sortie by the Prime Minister of India in any combat aircraft. The plan to acquire 97 more LCA Mark 1A fighter jets was also announced first by the then Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari on foreign soil in Spain when he told ANI about the mega plans to boost the indigenous fighter aircraft orders. The LCA Mark 1A plane has more advanced avionics and radars than the initial 40 LCAs being supplied to the Air Force. The indigenous content in the new LCA Mark1As is going to be more than 65 per cent. The programme has been the harbinger of the Atmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives of the nation. More importantly, it is a flag bearer of India's self-reliance in the aerospace sector. The HAL is also set to bag deals for buying over 200 LCA Mark 2s and a similar number of fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft.
India.com
8 hours ago
- Business
- India.com
Indias Rs 62,000 Crore Indigenous Fighter Jet Push: Govt Clears Deal To Buy 97 LCA Tejas Mark 1A Combat Jets
In a major boost to indigenous defence manufacturing, the Government of India on Tuesday approved the purchase of 97 more LCA Tejas Mark 1A fighter jets for the Indian Air Force. This decision comes at a time when the Air Force is phasing out its ageing MiG-21 fleet and playing a key role in large-scale military exercises like Operation Sindoor. The clearance was given during a high-level government meeting and will now allow Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to begin production, defence officials told ANI. Second Big Order for Tejas Jets This is the second major order for Tejas Mark 1A aircraft. The first order for 83 jets was placed a few years ago at a cost of around Rs 48,000 crore. Together, these jets will form a crucial part of the Air Force's future fleet as the MiG-21s are finally being retired in the coming weeks. Also Read: '6 Pak Aircraft Were Downed During Operation Sindoor': Air Force Chief Praises S-400 System Boost for 'Make in India' The Tejas programme has strong backing from both the Ministry of Defence and Air Force Headquarters. It's seen as not just a military upgrade, but also a big push under the Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives. The project will benefit hundreds of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) involved in manufacturing defence components across India. PM Modi's Personal Support Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been a key supporter of HAL and India's defence manufacturing capabilities. He even flew in a trainer version of the Tejas — becoming the first Indian Prime Minister ever to fly in a combat aircraft. The idea of acquiring 97 more jets was first shared by former Air Force Chief, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, during his visit to Spain. Also Read: 'Political Will And Coordination…': Air Force Chief Lists Reasons For Operation Sindoor's Success More Advanced Technology The Tejas Mark 1A jets have improved radars, avionics and a higher indigenous content — over 65 percent — compared to the earlier batch of 40 jets. The aircraft is considered a symbol of India's growing self-reliance in aerospace and defence technology. What's Next? HAL is also expected to receive additional orders in the near future — including over 200 Tejas Mark 2 jets and a large order for India's upcoming fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).
News18
8 hours ago
- Business
- News18
IAF To Get 97 Indigenous LCA Tejas Mark 1A Fighter Jets As Govt Clears Rs 62,000 Crore Deal
Last Updated: India clears the acquisition of 97 LCA Mark 1A fighter jets for the Indian Air Force In a major boost to the 'Make in India' initiative in defence, the central government has cleared a Rs 62,000 crore deal to buy 97 LCA Tejas Mark 1A fighter jets for the Indian Air Force (IAF). The final approval was given during a high-level meeting on Tuesday, paving the way for Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to begin production. This is the second major order for the indigenous fighter jet. Earlier, the government had placed an order for 83 LCA Mark 1A jets, worth around Rs 48,000 crore. With this new order, the total number of LCA Mark 1A jets ordered by the IAF now stands at 180. According to defence sources, the new fleet will replace the ageing MiG-21 fighter jets, which are expected to be phased out in the coming weeks. The LCA Tejas programme has received strong backing from the Defence Ministry and the Air Headquarters. It is expected to give a significant push to indigenisation and support small and medium enterprises involved in the defence sector across India, ANI reported. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been a strong supporter of HAL and India's domestic defence manufacturing sector. Under his leadership, HAL has secured multiple orders for indigenous aircraft, helicopters, and engines. Notably, the Prime Minister also flew in the trainer variant of the Tejas, becoming the first Indian PM to take a sortie in a combat aircraft. The plan to buy 97 additional jets was first announced by former Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari during a visit to Spain. The LCA programme is seen as a key part of India's goal to become self-reliant in defence and aerospace manufacturing under the Atmanirbhar Bharat mission. HAL is also expected to receive future orders for over 200 LCA Mark 2 jets and several next-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft. (With inputs from ANI) view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Loading comments...
