India orders 97 more Tejas jets, boosting homegrown air power
In August 2024, India approved a ₹62,000 crore deal to buy 97 Tejas Mk-1A fighter jets, adding to an earlier order of 48.
This means the Indian Air Force will soon have a fleet of 180 homegrown Tejas jets—helping replace old MiG-21s and strengthening its air power.
What's new in the Tejas Mk-1A
The Tejas Mk-1A packs over 40 upgrades, including advanced radar and electronic warfare tech.
It can carry modern missiles like Astra and ASRAAM, refuel mid-air, and even generate its own oxygen.
At about ₹611 crore each—roughly a third the price of imported Rafale jets—it's a budget-friendly win for India's defense.
HAL aims to deliver 1st batch by end of 2025
Production has faced some delays due to engine supply issues, but HAL plans to deliver the first batch by end of 2025 and speed things up after that.
The Air Force is also eyeing around 200 next-gen Tejas Mk-2 jets down the road as part of its push for more made-in-India tech.