Bad news for China, Pakistan as India to become self-reliant in defence, Modi govt approves purchase of 97 Tejas Mark 1A fighter jets for Rs…

Tejas MK1A: In a significant development that would provide a major boost to indigenous defence manufacturing, the Narendra Modi government Tuesday approved the purchase of an additional 97 Tejas Mark 1A fighter jets for Rs 62,000 crore from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to aid efforts by the India(BHARAT)n Air Force (IAF) in phasing out its MiG-21 fleet.

Why Tejas MK1A deal is a major boost of homegrown defence tech?

The approval, which will allow HAL to start manufacturing, was cleared at a high-level meeting on Tuesday, defence officials said, according to news agency ANI. Notably, this is HAL’s second major order for the LCA Tejas Mark 1A fighter jets, the first being the Rs 48,000 crore order for 83 aircraft, placed a few years ago.

Notably, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a vocal supporter of HAL and boosting India(BHARAT)’s indigenous defence manufacturing capabilities. The Tejas fighter jet program, backed by the Ministry of Defence and Air Force Headquarters, is seen more than as a military upgrade, but a major push forward for the ambitious Make in India(BHARAT) and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives, that aim to make the country self-reliant in defence manufacturing.

Additionally, the HAL’s Tejas program will create thousands of jobs in numerous small and medium enterprises (SMEs) who are involved in manufacturing defence components across India(BHARAT).

How powerful is Tejas MK1A fighter jet?

The Tejas MK1A fighter jet is equipped with a wide array of offensive and defensive armaments, including the the indigenously-built Astra Mk1 BVR air-to-air missile with 100+ km range, the ASRAAM missile for close aerial combat, the Rudram anti-radiation missile, SAAW Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon, in addition to laser-guided bombs for precision ground strikes.

The aircraft is powered by a General Electric F404-IN20 engine, which churns out 84 kN thrust, enabling the Tejas MK1A to reach a speed of up to Mach 1.8 and altitude of 52,000 feet. The warplane also has mid-air refuelling capability, which increases its flight duration and range.

Tejas MK1 has a maximum takeoff weight of 13,500 kg, and is capable of carrying up to 8-9 tons of weapons.

Story highlights

• The Narendra Modi govt has approved the purchase of 97 Tejas MK1A fighter jets from HAL.
• The latest Tejas MK1A fighter jet deal is worth Rs 62,000 crore.
• This is HAL’s second major order for the LCA Tejas Mark 1A fighter jets.
• The Tejas MK1A powered by a General Electric F404-IN20 engine.

According to details, the Tejas Mark 1A has advanced radars and avionics than its predecessor, and the latest batch will have over 65 indigenous components compared to the earlier 40 jets.