Govt clears Rs 62,000 crore Order for 97 LCA Mark 1A Jets from HAL

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on Tuesday approved the purchase of 97 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mark 1A fighters worth Rs 62,000 crore from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), government sources said. The approval is among the largest-ever defence procurement orders placed with the state-run aerospace major.

The LCA Mk-1A is an upgraded version of the indigenously developed Tejas fighter. A lightweight, single-engine, supersonic multi-role jet, it is equipped with advanced avionics, radar, and electronic warfare systems. Its capabilities include beyond-visual-range missile engagement, air-to-air refuelling, an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, and enhanced self-protection systems, boosting both strike and defensive roles.

It is the second major order for the Mk-1A variant. In February 2021, the Indian Air Force (IAF) signed a Rs 48,000-crore deal for 83 fighters. However, deliveries under that contract are yet to begin. The IAF is expected to receive the first of those aircraft in October.

The new fighters will gradually replace the IAF’s ageing MiG-21 fleet. The service, the world’s fourth-largest, is set to retire the last of its iconic MiG-21s in September, concluding a 62-year service run. The decommissioning ceremony will be held in Chandigarh.

HAL is preparing for deliveries under both orders. The first Mk-1A built at its new Nashik production line is slated for a maiden flight soon, while the first Bengaluru-built aircraft is now expected to be handed over to the IAF in September after an 18-month delay. Currently, HAL can produce 16 aircraft annually in Bengaluru, with Nashik ramping up total output to 24 jets per year.

So far, HAL has manufactured seven Mk-1As against the 83-aircraft order. One of these, powered by the US-made GE F404-IN20 engine, is expected to be delivered to the IAF next month. GE Aerospace had delivered the first of 99 such engines in March, after delays caused by the need to restart a production line that had been dormant for five years.

While the latest CCS approval boosts the Tejas programme and HAL’s order book, delays in both fighter and engine deliveries have left the IAF concerned about the pace of induction, warning that further slippages could impact its combat readiness.

Team BharatShakti