The Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Thursday signed a contract worth over ₹62,370 crore with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the procurement of 97 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk1A for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
The order includes 68 fighter jets and 29 twin-seater aircraft, along with associated equipment. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2027–28 and will be completed over a period of six years.
According to the ministry, the aircraft will have an indigenous content of more than 64%, with 67 additional items integrated compared to the earlier LCA Mk1A contract signed in January 2021. These upgrades include advanced indigenous systems such as the UTTAM Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar, Swayam Raksha Kavach, and control surface actuators.
The project is backed by a vendor base of nearly 105 Indian companies involved in the manufacture of detailed components. Production is expected to generate close to 11,750 direct and indirect jobs annually during the six-year period, giving a major push to the domestic aerospace ecosystem.
The acquisition has been undertaken under the ‘Buy (India-IDDM)’ category of the Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020. Officials said the deal is in line with the government’s push for indigenisation in defence manufacturing.
The LCA Mk1A, the most advanced variant of the indigenously designed and developed fighter aircraft, is expected to strengthen the operational capability of the IAF while furthering India’s Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) initiatives in defence.
