The Air Force will soon receive 97 Tejas fighter jets, a major deal is underway. Find out what the Pakistan-China figures are.

New Delhi: The Indian Air Force and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited are set to sign the largest-ever deal for 97 Tejas Mark-1A fighter jets. The cost is estimated at approximately ₹66,500 crore. According to sources, this mega deal could be finalized as early as Thursday. On Friday, 36 older MiG-21 aircraft will be retired. This will reduce the Air Force’s strength to its lowest ever number of 29 fighter squadrons.

While India will be left with 29 squadrons (each consisting of 16-18 fighter jets), Pakistan currently has 25 squadrons and is soon to acquire 40 J-35A fifth-generation stealth jets from China. China is far ahead, possessing four times more fighter aircraft, bombers, and other strategic capabilities than India.

A recent internal IAF report stated that even 42.5 squadrons would not be sufficient to counter the simultaneous threat from China and Pakistan. The IAF has repeatedly emphasized that the development and delivery of the Tejas is extremely slow. Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh recently stated that the Air Force is severely understaffed and needs at least 40 new fighter aircraft every year.

Under the first contract (Rs 46,898 crore) for 83 Tejas Mark-1A aircraft signed in February 2021, HAL is scheduled to deliver the aircraft between February 2024 and February 2028. However, the IAF has not yet received a single aircraft. HAL claims it will deliver the first two by October this year.

In August 2021, HAL signed a deal with US-based General Electric (GE) for 99 GE-F404 engines worth ₹5,375 crore. Three engines have arrived so far, and seven more are expected by December. After that, GE will supply 20 engines annually. For the new 97 aircraft, HAL will need to purchase 113 more engines from GE, costing approximately $1 billion.

However, the Air Force will accept these first two aircraft only after the firing trials of the Astra (BVR) missile, short-range air-to-air missile, and laser-guided bombs are successfully completed and certified.