The Indian government has approved the acquisition of 97 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mark 1A fighters for the Indian Air Force (IAF), in a deal valued at 620 billion rupees ($7.1 billion). The decision was taken during a high-level government meeting, according to defence officials. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will carry out production.
This is the second major order for the Tejas Mark 1A, following an earlier contract for 83 aircraft worth about 480 billion rupees ($5.5 billion). With the new approval, the IAF’s total order for the aircraft rises to 180.
The Tejas fleet will replace ageing MiG-21 fighters, which are set to be phased out. The aircraft programme has been positioned as part of India’s broader strategy to expand indigenous defence production, with more than 65 percent of the components manufactured domestically. Officials said the project also involves hundreds of small and medium enterprises in the defence supply chain.
The Tejas Mark 1A introduces improvements in avionics and radar systems compared to earlier versions. The first variant of the Tejas was inducted into service in 2016, and two IAF squadrons currently operate the aircraft.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been a vocal supporter of HAL and recently flew a sortie in a trainer variant of the Tejas, becoming the first Indian prime minister to do so. Following the flight, he shared his remarks on social media, stating:
“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.”
Former Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari had earlier announced plans to acquire 97 additional Tejas aircraft during a visit to Spain, underlining the Air Force’s intention to strengthen its domestically produced fleet.
The order also comes amid wider procurement moves. The Defence Acquisition Council recently cleared proposals to acquire 156 Prachand light combat helicopters and upgrade 84 Su-30MKI fighters, with projects worth around 1.6 trillion rupees ($18.3 billion) approved in total.
HAL is also expected to secure future contracts for over 200 Tejas Mark 2 fighters and the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft, India’s planned fifth-generation platform.
Source: Asian News International, Economic Times