The defence ministry, on Thursday, signed a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the procurement of 97 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk1A, including 68 fighters and 29 twin-seaters, for the Indian Air Force (IAF). The Rs 62,370 crore contract, under the ‘Buy (India-IDDM)’ category of Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020, also covers associated equipment for the 4.5-generation, indigenously-developed multirole fighter jets.
The delivery of these fighter aircraft, featuring advanced avionics, AESA radar, electronic warfare capabilities, and mid-air refuelling, will begin during 2027-28 and be completed over a period of six years.
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 that was signed in 2021, the defence ministry said in a release.
"The integration of advanced indigenously developed systems such as the UTTAM Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar, Swayam Raksha Kavach, and control surface actuators will further strengthen the Aatmanirbharta initiatives," the ministry said.
The acquisition of the fighter jets is in line with the government’s thrust on indigenisation, the ministry said, adding that 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.
The project is being supported by a vendor base of nearly 105 Indian companies directly engaged in the manufacture of detailed components. The production is expected to generate close to 11,750 direct and indirect jobs per year for the duration of six years, giving a major boost to the domestic aerospace ecosystem, the ministry added.