New Delhi: In a major push to Make-in-India, the Centre on Tuesday cleared proposal to buy a second tranche of 97 LCA Mark 1A Tejas fighter jets from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Indian Air Force in a deal worth Rs 62,000 crore.This will be the second order for the LCA Mark 1A fighters; the government has previously placed orders for 83 aircraft for around Rs 48,000 crore. There has been delay in delivery of the first order of LCA Mark 1A fighters to Indian Air Force due to constraints in supply of engine by GE. Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by defence minister Rajnath Singh had already given initial approval to acquire additional 97 Tejas Mark 1A light combat aircraft. The new order will take up the number of LCA Mark 1A with IAF to 180. IAF already operates LCA Mk-1. The Mk1A is the advanced version of LCA Mk-1. In the years to come, the indigenously built LCA Tejas fighter jets and its future variants will form the mainstay of the Indian Air Force. IAF is in critical need for additional fighter aircraft to replace the ageing MiG-21 aircraft. The Tejas Mk1A will have an advanced electronic radar, warfare, communication systems, additional combat capability and improved maintenance features. Christened Tejas in 2003, the aircraft is a multi- role platform that ranks amongst the best in its class. It has been designed to undertake the air defence, maritime reconnaissance and strike roles. The first version of the Tejas was inducted in IAF in 2016 and currently there are two IAF squadrons of Tejas which are fully operational. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also undertaken maiden sortie on a Tejas fighter aircraft in Bengaluru during his visit to the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in a big boost to the state owned enterprise.
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