Government Paves Way For 60,000-Crore Deal To Buy 83 Tejas Fighter Jets | Read

The government has paved the way for the manufacture of 83 indigenous Tejas Mk-1A Light Combat aircraft by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in a deal which is likely to be worth close to Rs. 60,000 crores. This would be among the largest ever deals the government has sanctioned for the domestic arms sector and is a huge boost for the government's 'Make in India' defence manufacturing programme. It is also the biggest endorsement yet for the Tejas fighter which has been in the process of development for more than three decades and entered Squadron Service with the Indian Air Force just last year. With no other firm competing for this contract, the Request for Proposal (RFP) issued by the Defence Ministry will almost certainly translate into a tender for the supersonic fighter jet.