India Orders 97 Indigenous LCA Mark 1A Jets in Record Rs 65,000 Crore Deal

The Indian government has recently placed its largest-ever order for indigenous military hardware. The Defence Ministry has issued a tender worth Rs 65,000 crore to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the production of 97 LCA Mark 1A fighter jets, all of which will be made in India. The LCA Mark 1A represents the latest iteration of the Tejas aircraft, boasting significant advancements.
As per the latest report from news agency ANI, a tender has been recently issued and the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has been granted three months to provide their response. The introduction of the new fighters will allow the Indian Air Force (IAF) to retire its aging MiG fleet and make way for modern replacements.

According to government officials, the indigenous fighter aircraft programme, which is supported by the government, is expected to have a positive impact on indigenisation and provide benefits to small and medium enterprises in the defense sector across the country.
In recent developments, Prime Minister Modi has been actively advocating for the revival of HAL. As a result, HAL has successfully secured contracts from the government to manufacture indigenous fighter aircraft, helicopters, and engines.
Modi took to the skies in the trainer variant of the indigenous fighter, marking a historic moment as the first-ever combat aircraft sortie by a Prime Minister.
In a recent announcement, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, the IAF chief, unveiled India’s ambitious plan to acquire 97 additional LCA Mark 1A fighter jets. This significant move aims to strengthen India’s fleet of indigenous fighter aircraft, as stated during the chief’s visit to Spain.
Recently, a significant order was placed for 83 LCA Mark1A aircraft. The first delivery is expected to be made in a few weeks from now, according to the order.
The LCA Mark 1A is equipped with advanced avionics and radars, surpassing the capabilities of the initial 40 LCAs that the IAF will receive. Official statements indicate that the local content in the new LCA Mark 1As will exceed 65 percent.
According to multiple media reports, HAL is on the verge of finalizing contracts for more than 200 LCA Mark 2s and a similar number of fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft. On April 12, the shares of HAL experienced a notable increase, with a rise of 2.18% to close the day at Rs 3,643.

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