As PM Modi gives thumbs-up after sortie, IAF likely to induct 97 Tejas jets

New Delhi: Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi flew in an indigenous Tejas Light Combat Aircraft, the Defence Ministry is likely to clear another 97 of these aircraft to equip the Indian Air Force, to make up for depleting squadron numbers.

The Defence Acquisition Council, headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to meet next week to decide on several big-ticket projects and purchase of more Tejas LCA Mk-1 fighter jets to supplement the existing fleet is one such project.

The IAF has already placed an order worth Rs 45,696 crore to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for the delivery of 83 LCA Mk 1A aircraft. The delivery is scheduled to begin by February 2024.

HAL has a capacity to build eight LCA aircraft per year. This is being increased to 16 aircraft every year by 2025 and further to 24 aircraft in the next three years.

The Mark-1A version will be having 43 “improvements” from the first lot of 40 LCA Tejas that the IAF had earlier purchased from the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, Bengaluru at a price of Rs 8,802 crore.

33 of these aircraft, ordered in the first lot, have been delivered so far and the remaining seven - all twin seater trainer versions - are likely to be handed over to the IAF next year. The IAF inducted the first version of the LCA in 2016.

The HAL is also working on the Mark-2 version of the home-grown fighter jet and the first prototype, according to the state-owned aviation major, should be ready by 2025.

“More than Rs 9,000 crore have been sanctioned for the development of LCA Mk 2, an updated and more lethal version of LCA Tejas,” said an official.

Plans are also afoot to have LCA bases in the western theatre as the two existing units - 45 Squadron and 18 Squadron - are based at Sulur in Tamil Nadu.

To further promote indigenisation, including of the aircraft engine, a Transfer of Technology agreement for manufacturing of the GE engine in India has been negotiated with GE during the Prime Minister’s visit to the US in June 2023.

With multiple versions for the IAF and Indian Navy (a naval version of the LCA is also in the works) Tejas would be the largest fleet of fighter aircraft to be operated by the Indian armed forces, replacing the MiGs.