![](https://bharatshakti.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/LT-BSI-Defence.gif")
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for 97 Tejas Mk1A light combat aircraft (LCA), valued at Rs 62,370 crore (excluding taxes). Signed on September 25, 2025, under the тАШBuy (India-IDDM)тАЩ category of the Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020, this is the single largest order for an Indian-built fighter jet and a decisive step in the governmentтАЩs self-reliance drive.
Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2027тАУ28, with all 97 aircraft, comprising 68 single-seat fighters and 29 twin-seat trainers, to be inducted over a six-year period.
The Tejas Mk1A, developed by HAL, represents the most advanced variant of IndiaтАЩs LCA, featuring upgrades in avionics, weapons, radar, and survivability. Compared to earlier orders, the latest batch incorporates 67 new indigenous components, increasing the overall indigenous content to over 64%, according to the MoD statement.
Recent advancements in India’s defence technology include the introduction of the UTTAM AESA Radar by DRDO, the Swayam Raksha Kavach electronic self-protection suite, and locally developed control surface actuators. These key additions are expected to significantly reduce India’s reliance on imports and enhance its indigenous defence capabilities, the statement claims.
The program will involve over 100 Indian vendors across public and private sectors, generating an estimated 11,750 direct and indirect jobs annually. HALтАЩs Bengaluru and Nashik plants will run at full tilt, executing this order in parallel with the 83 Tejas Mk1A jets ordered in 2021 for Rs 46,898 crore.
The IAF is still awaiting its first deliveries from the 2021 order, with HAL expecting to hand over two aircraft by October 2025. Meanwhile, weapon integration trials, including Astra beyond-visual-range missiles, advanced short-range missiles, and laser-guided bombs, are in the final stages before certification.
The IAFтАЩs fighter strength has slipped to under 29 squadrons against a sanctioned 42, a shortfall worsened by the retirement of ageing MiG-21s. The new 97-aircraft order will enable the IAF to field five additional squadrons, bringing the eventual Tejas fleet to 11 squadrons once all pending and new deliveries are complete.
The Tejas Mk1A will shoulder frontline duties in both air defence and strike roles, plugging critical gaps until future platforms, such as the Tejas Mk2 and the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), enter service.
The Tejas Mk1A will continue to be powered by GEтАЩs F404-IN20 engines. India had contracted 99 of these engines in 2021, but additional procurement from GE is expected to sustain the expanded production line. HALтАЩs ability to coordinate closely with GE will be critical to meeting delivery schedules. For the 97-jet deal, HAL will sign another deal with GE for 113 more such engines soon.
The deal comes amid growing regional security concerns. ChinaтАЩs deployment of fifth-generation fighters and PakistanтАЩs fleet modernisation, backed by joint exercises with Beijing, have accelerated IndiaтАЩs push for indigenous military capability.
By expanding its Tejas fleet, India asserts self-reliance and adapts to evolving threats in its neighbourhood, overcoming delays.
Work on the Tejas Mk2 is progressing, with significant enhancements in payload, range, and sensors. This next-generation LCA is expected to replace older Jaguars, Mirage 2000s, and MiG-29s. Alongside the upcoming AMCA fifth-generation fighter, the Tejas family will form the backbone of the IAFтАЩs combat fleet well into the 2040s.
Huma Siddiqui
