In a significant development for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Make in India initiative in the defence sector, India on Tuesday approved the acquisition of 97 LCA Mark 1A fighter jets for the Indian Air Force.
Defence sources told ANI that a high-level meeting today granted the final clearance for the purchase, clearing the path for Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to manufacture the aircraft.
This is the second order for the LCA Mark 1A after an initial government order for 83 aircraft a few years ago worth approximately Rs 48,000 crore.
The new acquisition will help the Indian Air Force replace its ageing fleet of MiG-21s, which are to be phased out in the next few weeks, the sources further said.
The indigenous fighter programme, comprehensively supported by the Defence Ministry and Air Headquarters, will give a tremendous boost to indigenous manufacturing as well as small and medium enterprises engaged in the defence sector throughout India.
Prime Minister Modi has been positively supporting the revival of HAL, which has received orders for the production of a variety of indigenous fighter jets, helicopters, and engines under his government.
Significantly, the Prime Minister had also taken a sortie in the trainer version of the domestic fighter — being the first-ever flight by an Indian Prime Minister of any warplane.
The proposal to acquire 97 more LCA Mark 1A aircraft was first announced by former Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari while visiting Spain, when he told ANI about the ambitious increase in orders for indigenous fighter jets.
The LCA Mark 1A has more sophisticated avionics and radar equipment compared to the first 40 LCAs that have been supplied to the Air Force. Domestic content is likely to be over 65 percent in the new jets.
This project is the embodiment of the Atmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India programmes, representing a symbol of India's increasing self-reliance in the aerospace industry.
In the times to come, HAL is also likely to bag orders for more than 200 LCA Mark 2 fighter jets and as many fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft.
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