The defence ministry on Thursday signed a ₹62,370-crore contract with state-run aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to buy 97 more Tejas light combat aircraft and associated equipment for the air force, which is facing a severe shortage of fighter jets.
The delivery of these aircraft will commence in 2027-28 and be completed over a
period of six years, the ministry said.
The aircraft ordered include 68 fighter jets and 29 twin-seat trainers. The cabinet committee on security, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had cleared the deal in August this year.
The ministry said: “The aircraft will have an indigenous content of over 64 per cent with 67 additional items incorporated, over and above the previous LCA Mk1A contract signed in January 2021.
“The LCA Mk1A is the most advanced variant of the indigenously designed and manufactured fighter aircraft and will serve as a potent platform to meet the operational requirements of the IAF,” it added.
The new contract was signed a day before the IAF phases out the last of its MiG-21 fighter jets, the ageing Soviet-origin fighter jet that has been called the “flying
coffin” because of its high crash rate.
The single-engine Mk1A Tejas is a multirole light fighter aircraft being developed by HAL. It is capable of operating in high-threat air environments. It has been designed to undertake air defence, maritime reconnaissance and strike roles.
In July, the IAF had expressed concern over the current pace of the Tejas LCA Mk1A programme, saying the delay in the induction of new fighter planes could affect the air force’s combat effectiveness. It flagged its concerns to HAL, calling for a timely execution of the ₹48,000-crore contract for 83 jets ordered in February 2021. The first aircraft was to be delivered in March 2024 under the 2021 order.
Against an authorised strength of 42 fighter squadrons, the IAF currently has 30. A fighter squadron consists of 18 aircraft. An internal assessment following Operation Sindoor indicates that IAF may need to field more than the authorised number of squadrons to meet future challenges.
