Approval granted for procurement of 97 Tejas fighters and 156 Prachand helicopters

On Thursday, India granted initial approval for defense acquisition projects amounting to Rs 2.23 lakh crore, a pivotal move aimed at enhancing the combat capabilities of its armed forces. The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), led by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, greenlit various projects, including the procurement of 97 Tejas light combat aircraft and 156 Prachand combat helicopters. This decision comes amidst a prolonged military standoff with China in eastern Ladakh, and the defence ministry emphasized that a remarkable 98% of the total procurement value would be sourced domestically, aligning with the goal of achieving ‘Aatmanirbharta’ (self-reliance) in the defense industry. This approval represents the most substantial order book ever awarded to indigenous manufacturers in India.

Currently, an Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) has been granted, initiating subsequent contract negotiations with manufacturers. This process is expected to be considerably shorter than engaging with foreign manufacturers. Additionally, the DAC greenlit the Indian Air Force’s proposal to upgrade its Su-30 fighter fleet by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. The council also granted AoN for the procurement of various defense equipment, including anti-tank munitions, automatic target tracker, digital basaltic computer for T-90 tanks, and medium-range anti-ship missiles for the Indian Navy. The lightweight surface-to-surface missile, MRAShM, will serve as a primary offensive weapon on various Indian naval ships.

Furthermore, the DAC’s approval extends to the procurement of Light Combat Helicopters for the Indian Air Force and Indian Army, as well as Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk-1A for the IAF from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited under the Buy (Indian-IDDM) category. While specific numbers were not disclosed, official sources indicate the acquisition of 97 Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (Mark 1A) for the IAF and 156 Light Combat Helicopters for the Army and Air Force. Earlier, in a significant development in February 2021, the defense ministry finalized a Rs 48,000 crore deal with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd for the procurement of 83 Tejas MK-1A jets for the IAF. With this, the IAF’s procurement of Tejas aircraft will increase to 180.