India to buy 83 Tejas Light Combat Aircraft

Indian Air Force to buy 83 Tejaas Light Combat Aircrafts

In the biggest-ever indigenous military deal, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved the purchase of 73 Tejas LCA (Light Combat Aircraft) fighter jets and 10 trainer aircraft for a cost of around ₹ 45,700 crore. The Tejas Mk-1A LCA is an indigenously designed and manufactured fourth-generation fighter with critical operational capabilities that include an Active Electronically-Scanned Array (AESA) radar, an Electronic Warfare (EW) suite, and is capable of air-to-air refueling (AAR).

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted, that the deal was a game-changer for self-reliance in the Indian defence manufacturing (sector) and is going to be the backbone of the IAF fighter fleet in the years to come. In a statement issued Wednesday evening the government said the 73 Tejas LCA fighter aircraft would become “a potent platform to meet the operational requirements of the Indian Air Force”. About 500 Indian companies including MSMEs in the design and manufacturing sectors will be working with HAL in this procurement. All 83 jets, which include 10 Mark-1 trainers, are slated for delivery in the January 2024-December 2028 timeframe, said sources.