New Delhi / Bengaluru, NFAPost: In a major boost for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Make in India in defence project, India on Tuesday cleared the project for buying 97 LCA Mark 1A fighter jets for the Indian Air Force.
The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has given its final approval — marking the last step before the formal signing of the deal. The jets will be built by Bengaluru-headquartered HAL, a Maharatna public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Defence.
This will be the second order for the LCA Mark 1A fighters, as the government has already placed orders for 83 aircraft a few years ago for around Rs 48,000 crore.
HAL missed the original February 2024 deadline to start deliveries of the LCA Mk1A, primarily due to delays in the arrival of F404-IN20 engines from the American engine maker GE Aerospace. These jets are intended to replace the last of the IAF’s Russian-origin MiG-21s, which are scheduled to retire in September.
Amid the IAF’s mounting challenges, HAL has assured that 12 Mk1A aircraft will be delivered by the end of 2025-26. The company has already built six, which are currently flying with reserve engines — a temporary measure. The second GE engine for the Mk1A was delivered to HAL in mid-July.
The indigenous fighter aircraft programme, fully backed by Defence Ministry and Air Headquarters is set to be a big boost for promoting indigenisation as well as give major business to the small and medium enterprises engaged in defence business across the country.
The plan to acquire 97 more LCA Mark 1A fighter jets was also announced first by the then Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari on foreign soil in Spain. The LCA Mark 1A plane has more advanced avionics and radars than the initial 40 LCAs being supplied to the Air Force. The indigenous content in the new LCA Mark1As is going to be more than 65 per cent.
