India is poised to sign a record deal with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for 97 Tejas Mark-1A fighter jets, valued at Rs 66,500 crore, according to a report.
This will be the largest contract for the indigenous fighter jets, even though the Indian Air Force has yet to receive the first unit from its earlier order of 83 improved jets, placed in February 2021 for Rs 46,898 crore.
The new agreement for Tejas Mark-1A aircraft could be finalized as early as Thursday, coinciding with the retirement of 36 MiG-21 fighters, according to a TOI report.
The contract is seen as a significant boost to India’s fighter fleet, helping address gaps created by the phased retirement of older aircraft. The retirement of 36 MiG-21s will reduce the IAF to an all-time low of 29 fighter squadrons, with each squadron comprising 16–18 jets.
Operation Sindoor Spurs Assessment
This development comes after Operation Sindoor, during which Pakistan employed Chinese-origin J-10 fighter jets armed with PL-15 missiles that have a range exceeding 200 kilometers, prompting an internal Indian Air Force assessment. The assessment revealed that even the sanctioned strength of 42.5 fighter squadrons may be insufficient to counter the coordinated and complex threats posed by adversaries.
114 ‘Made In India’ Rafale Jets
In another related development earlier this month, the Defence Ministry received and began discussions on a proposal from the Indian Air Force to acquire 114 “Made in India” Rafale fighter jets. These aircraft would be manufactured by the French firm Dassault Aviation, in collaboration with Indian aerospace companies.
If finalized, this would become the largest-ever defence deal signed by the Indian government, with an estimated value of over Rs 2 lakh crore, including more than 60 percent indigenous content. The deal is expected to raise the total number of Rafale aircraft in India’s defence forces to 176, as the Indian Air Force has already inducted 36 jets, and the Indian Navy has placed orders for 26 under government-to-government agreements.
The proposal comes on the heels of the Rafale’s impressive performance against Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, where the jets reportedly outperformed Chinese PL-15 air-to-air missiles using their Spectra electronic warfare suite.
The French side also plans to establish a Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility for the M-88 engines used in Rafale jets, located in Hyderabad.
In addition to the Rafales, India has already ordered 180 LCA Mark 1A jets and is planning to induct its indigenous fifth-generation fighter in significant numbers beyond 2035.
Pahalgam Terror Attack To Operation Sindoor
Operation Sindoor, launched on May 6–7, was conducted in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. In a large-scale overnight offensive, the Indian Armed Forces targeted nine terror facilities across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, severely damaging the infrastructure of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Reports indicate that more than 100 militants were killed during the strikes.
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