The North News
New Delhi, September 25
The Ministry of Defence has signed a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the procurement of 97 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk1A, valued at more than ₹62,370 crore (£5.9bn), excluding taxes. The deal, finalised on September 25, includes 68 single-seat fighters and 29 twin-seat aircraft, along with associated equipment for the Indian Air Force. Deliveries are expected to begin in 2027–28 and will be completed within six years. The LCA Mk1A is the most advanced variant of India’s indigenously designed and manufactured fighter jet. The aircraft will feature over 64 percent indigenous content, with 67 new items added compared to the 2021 contract for an earlier version of the same aircraft.
Advanced Indian-developed systems such as the UTTAM Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, the Swayam Raksha Kavach self-protection suite, and new control surface actuators are expected to boost the combat capability of the aircraft. Officials said the move further strengthens India’s ‘Aatmanirbharta’ (self-reliance) initiative in defence production. The project will draw on a supply chain of around 105 Indian companies, generating an estimated 11,750 direct and indirect jobs annually over the six-year production cycle. The contract was signed under the “Buy (India-IDDM)” category of the Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020, in line with the government’s focus on indigenisation.
