Govt clears purchase of 83 indigenous Tejas light combat aircraft

Clearing the way for inducting another four squadrons of the indigenous Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA) into the Indian Air Force (IAF), the Union Cabinet, under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sanctioned the procurement of 83 fighters on Wednesday.

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) will act as the lead integrator for building the aircraft at a targeted rate of 16 fighters per year. The first aircraft will be delivered three years after HAL and the IAF sign a contract.

“(The Cabinet) has approved the procurement of 73 LCA Tejas Mark 1A fighter aircraft and 10 LCA Tejas Mark 1 trainer aircraft at a cost of Rs 45,696 crore, along with design and development of infrastructure sanctions worth Rs 1,202 crore,” the ministry of defence (MoD) said.