97 Tejas Aircraft, 156 Prachand Attack Choppers Deal Approved

In a major boost to the military and domestic defense production, the Defense Acquisition Council has given the green light for the acquisition of 97 more Tejas aircraft and 156 Prachand attack helicopters. Local developers have crafted both these aircraft, and the agreements’ combined value is approximately Rs 1.1 lakh crore.

The Indian Air Force is acquiring the Tejas Mark 1-A fighters, and both the Air Force and the Army are obtaining the choppers. The Council has additionally approved supplementary agreements, with the total estimated value being around Rs 2 lakh crore.

If this happens, it will be the largest order book that indigenous manufacturers have received in India’s history. The authorities have now granted an Acceptance of Necessity, and manufacturers will enter into contract negotiations subsequently. This process, although time-consuming, might still be considerably shorter than if it involved foreign manufacturers.

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Once a final price is negotiated, the last sign-off will be done by the Cabinet Committee on Security. The final induction into the military may take at least 10 years. 

On Thursday, expect authorities to approve a significant upgrade for the Sukhoi Su-30 MKI aircraft. The Indian Air Force, which has over 260 Su-30 aircraft, anticipates this upgrade to be indigenous, featuring radars, avionics, and subsystems developed in India.

An indigenously designed and manufactured fourth-generation fighter, the Tejas Mk-1A Light Combat Aircraft boasts critical operational capabilities, including an Active Electronically-Scanned Array (AESA) radar, an Electronic Warfare (EW) suite, and the capacity for air-to-air refuelling (AAR).

It is India’s first self-made fighter jet and received the final operational clearance for induction into the Indian Air Force as a fully-weaponised fighter jet in February 2019.

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