The Ministry of Defence (MoD) on September 25 signed a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the procurement of 97 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk1A for the Indian Air Force (IAF), at a cost of over ₹62,370 crore (excluding taxes). The order includes 68 single-seat fighters and 29 twin-seater aircraft, along with associated equipment.
According to the ministry, delivery of the aircraft will begin in 2027-28 and will be completed over six years. The LCA Mk1A is the most advanced variant of the indigenously designed and manufactured fighter, and the acquisition falls under the ‘Buy (India-IDDM)’ category of the Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020.
The aircraft will feature an indigenous content of more than 64%, with 67 additional items integrated beyond the previous LCA Mk1A contract signed in January 2021.
Advanced systems such as the indigenously developed UTTAM Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar, Swayam Raksha Kavach, and control surface actuators will be incorporated, strengthening the government’s Atma Nirbharata initiative, the MOD stated
The project will be backed by a vendor base of nearly 105 Indian companies directly engaged in component manufacturing. It is expected to generate close to 11,750 direct and indirect jobs annually for six years, providing a significant boost to the domestic aerospace ecosystem.
The MoD said the new fleet will provide the IAF with a potent operational platform while furthering the government’s push for indigenisation in defence manufacturing.
