Overview

• CCS approval chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi authorizes 97 Tejas Mk-1A fighters for the IAF, the second batch after 83 ordered in 2021, taking total Mk-1A orders to 180.
• The ₹62,000 crore procurement will be built by HAL, with the Mk-1A adding an AESA radar, modern electronic warfare systems, BVR capability, air-to-air refuelling, and over 65% indigenous content.
• The new aircraft are intended to backfill retiring MiG-21 squadrons, with the phase-out scheduled to conclude in the coming weeks.
• Delivery schedules remain sensitive to supply-chain constraints, as GE F404 engines began arriving in 2025 following earlier delays from the 2021 contract.
• HAL is scaling output with new production lines and private-sector partners, and officials have indicated 12 Tejas are slated to roll out by December with a goal of 16 fighters next year if engines arrive on time.