The Ministry of Defence has signed a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the production of 97 Tejas fighter aircraft. HAL will manufacture these combat aircraft for the Indian Air Force. The ₹62,370 crore deal was announced in a statement by the Ministry of Defence.
According to Defence Ministry sources, the agreement with HAL is for the production of 97 Light Combat Aircraft Tejas Mk1A. This includes 68 fighters and 29 twin-seater variants. Additionally, HAL will manufacture various equipment used in these fighter jets under this contract. HAL is scheduled to commence delivery of these aircraft in the fiscal year 2027-2028. The Ministry of Defence has stated that the complete delivery of Tejas fighters is expected to be fulfilled over the subsequent six years.
Notably, 64% of the LCA Mk1A Tejas fighter jets that HAL will produce will be manufactured using indigenous components. Furthermore, the fighter jets will incorporate 67 additional pieces of equipment. These state-of-the-art aircraft will be equipped with advanced Active Electronically Scanned Array radars, self-protection systems, and control surface actuators.
HAL has already received the GE-404 engines, which will be utilized in the production of these fighter aircraft. These combat jets will possess air-to-air refueling capabilities, enabling them to refuel mid-air.
Previously, in 2021, the Ministry of Defence had commissioned HAL to produce 83 LCA Tejas, a contract valued at ₹48,000 crore. While the Indian Air Force is currently authorized to maintain 42 squadrons of fighter aircraft, that number has dwindled to 31. The new fighter jets are expected to fill the void left by the retirement of the MiG-21 fighters from the Air Force's fleet. Experts opine that this addition will significantly bolster the Air Force's strength, potentially multiplying its capabilities manifold.
