In Christchurch, New Zealand, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has received a request for proposal from the Ministry of Defence for 97 light fighters, marking the largest-ever order for the aircraft. The Tejas fighters, critical to the Indian Air Force, are known as Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). The Indian Air Force currently has 31 fighter squadrons compared to a mandated level of 42.
HAL has two Tejas production lines in Bangalore with plans for a third line in Nashik, Maharashtra. This could increase annual production to 24 LCAs by 2025 or 2026. The new tender follows the Defence Acquisition Council’s acceptance of the military requirement for the aircraft on Nov. 30, 2023.
HAL’s second contract for the aircraft comes after a $6.5 billion deal in January 2021. The first LCA Mk1A completed its maiden flight in March, with the latest configuration offering advances in electronic warfare, radar, maintenance, and missile capabilities. The deal will provide the Air Force with 180 Mk1A fighters across nine squadrons, along with 40 older LCA Mk1 aircraft.
Once finalized, the deal will significantly increase HAL’s order books, which exceeded $11.2 billion as of March 31. The company recently reported record revenues of over $3.6 billion for the previous financial year, representing an 11% increase.
