Govt okays production of additional 97 Tejas Mark 1A jets

In a major boost for the Indian Air Force, the project for buying 97 LCA Mark 1A fighter jets was okayed today. These 97 jets are in addition to the 83 such aircraft already ordered by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) from the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

In April last year, the MoD asked HAL to submit its commercial bid for producing 97 Tejas Mark-1A jets, which are set to cost about Rs 1.15 Lakh crore. Today, the HAL has been given a go ahead for producing the jets.

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 HAL to produce the aircraft, sources said.

The programme will help the IAF to replace its fleet of MiG- 21s, which are finally being phased out next month.

In all, 180 of the Tejas Mark 1A jets are to be supplied in two tranches. The first tranche is of the 83 such jets ordered by the MoD in February 2021 under a Rs 48,000 crore order. Separately, the IAF already has 40 Tejas Mark1 jets.

In November 2013, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), the apex decision-making body of the MoD, okayed the procurement of 97 more Tejas Mark-1A fighter jets.

The Indian Air Force presently has 31 squadrons (16-18 jets each) of fighter jets against the mandate of 42 to tackle a two-front threat against Pakistan and China.