New Delhi has signed a $7-billion deal to purchase 97 Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk-1A jets, as part of a sweeping modernization effort and the retirement of its long-serving MiG-21s.
The Ministry of Defence confirmed the agreement with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), covering 68 single-seat fighters and 29 twin-seat variants. Deliveries are set to start in 2027–28 and will be completed over six years.
The Tejas, meaning “brilliance” in Hindi, was first inducted in 2016. The latest order highlights India’s bid to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers and strengthen its domestic defense industry. HAL leads production, with input from more than 100 local companies, and the jets incorporate over 64 percent indigenous systems and components.
India’s strategic focus has sharpened amid growing regional threats, especially from Pakistan, with which it has a history of air combat, including a recent four-day confrontation in May, the fiercest since 1999.
