TEJAS LIGHT COMBAT AIRCRAFT (LCA)

Context

India’s defence sector marked a major achievement as the Ministry of Defence signed a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for the indigenous LCA Tejas Mk1A, advancing self-reliance and Air Force modernization under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

Contract

The agreement represents one of the largest defence procurement projects for indigenously built fighter aircraft:

• Parties Involved – The Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed the contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the state-run aerospace and defence company.
  
   
• Number of Aircraft – HAL will manufacture 97 Tejas Mk1A jets, comprising:
   
  • 68 single-seater fighter variants.
     
  • 29 twin-seater trainer variants.
     
• Delivery Schedule – Deliveries will begin around 2027–2028 and continue for six years until the order is completed.
   
• Economic Impact – The project is expected to generate over 11,000 jobs, both direct and indirect, strengthening India’s aerospace ecosystem.
   

Tejas Mk1A Features and Capabilities

The Tejas Mk1A is a 4.5th generation light multi-role fighter aircraft, designed to replace outdated platforms in the IAF.

• Generation Classification – Falls under the 4.5th Generation category.
   
  • India does not yet possess a 5th-generation fighter aircraft.
     
  • The indigenous Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), India’s planned 5th-gen jet, is expected only after 2035.
     
• Role – To replace aging Soviet-origin aircraft such as the MiG-21 and MiG-29 fighters, ensuring modernization of the IAF fleet.
   
• Indigenous Content – The indigenous components in Tejas have increased from 50% to 64%, advancing the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
   
• Key New Features (67 upgrades) –
   
  • Uttam AESA radar (indigenously developed advanced radar).
     
  • Swayam Raksha Kavach (indigenous self-protection system for survivability).
     
  • Enhanced avionics, improved electronic warfare systems, and advanced weapon integration.
     

Significance

• Strengthening IAF – Provides modern, agile, and combat-ready aircraft to replace obsolete fleets.
   
• Boost to Indigenization – Reduces dependency on foreign suppliers, promotes Indian defence R&D, and strengthens domestic industry.
   
• Economic Benefits – Supports job creation, skill development, and defence exports.
   
• Long-Term Vision – Acts as a bridge to future indigenous platforms like AMCA and supports India’s emergence as a global aerospace hub.
   

Conclusion

The Tejas LCA Mk1A deal boosts India’s defence self-reliance and modernization, replacing older jets with advanced indigenous platforms, enhancing IAF’s capabilities, and supporting local industry and employment, making India a key defence producer.