SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), India’s state-owned aerospace giant, is set to deepen private sector involvement in its latest ?650 billion ($7.8 billion) tender for 97 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk1A fighters, following the Defence Acquisition Council’s approval on November 30, 2023. This move, aimed at addressing production delays and meeting the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) urgent needs, marks HAL’s second major Tejas contract after a $6.5 billion deal in January 2021 for 83 aircraft.
With production lines in Bangalore and Nashik gearing up to deliver 24 LCAs annually by 2025–2026, HAL’s outsourcing strategy, as revealed by sources to idrw.org, promises to revolutionize assembly timelines and bolster India’s indigenous defence capabilities under the “Make in India” initiative.
HAL’s outsourcing strategy leverages India’s private aerospace ecosystem to enhance efficiency. Companies like Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and Tata Aerospace, already involved in supplying aerostructures, are poised to take on larger roles. A key milestone was achieved in March 2025, when Alpha Tocol delivered the first outsourced rear fuselage for the Mk1A, a moment Defence Minister Rajnath Singh called “a matter of great joy and pride.” By allowing private firms to deliver pre-assembled sections, HAL aims to reduce assembly time significantly, addressing past criticisms of slow delivery schedules.
The 97-fighter tender, valued at ?650 billion, follows HAL’s 2021 contract for 73 single-seat and 10 twin-seat Mk1A trainers. HAL’s production capacity is scaling up with two Bangalore lines, each producing eight aircraft annually, and a third line in Nashik, Maharashtra, set to open in October 2024, adding another eight jets. This will enable HAL to manufacture 24 LCAs per year by 2025–2026, a critical step toward replacing the IAF’s aging MiG-21,MiG-27,Jaguar fleets, as the IAF’s squadron strength has dwindled to 31 against a sanctioned 42.
Despite the optimism, challenges persist. Engine supply delays from GE Aerospace, which committed to delivering 12 F404 engines in 2025 starting in March, have slowed progress. HAL has produced only three Mk1A jets so far, with two more nearing completion, highlighting the urgency of stabilizing the supply chain. The IAF, eager to modernize, remains skeptical of HAL’s timelines, as noted by Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh at Aero India 2025, where he expressed frustration over unmet promises of 11 Mk1A deliveries by February 2025.
NOTE: Article cannot be reproduced without written permission of idrw.org in any form even for YouTube Videos to avoid Copy right strikes. Websites doing illegal reproductions will get DMCA and Legal Notices.