Defence Ministry has signed a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for the procurement of 97 Light Combat Aircraft Mk1A for the Indian Air Force worth over 62 thousand crore rupees. This includes 68 fighters and 29 twin-seat aircraft, along with associated equipment for the Indian Air Force.

The delivery of these aircraft will commence during 2027-28 and be completed over a period of six years. The aircraft will have an indigenous content of over 64%, with 67 additional items incorporated, over and above the previous Light Combat Aircraft contract signed in January 2021. The Ministry said, the integration of advanced indigenously developed systems, such as the UTTAM Active Electronically Scanned Array Radar, Swayam Raksha Kavach, and control surface actuators, will further strengthen the Aatmanirbharta initiatives.

The project is being supported by a robust vendor base of nearly 105 Indian companies directly engaged in the manufacture of detailed components. The production is expected to generate over 11 thousand direct and indirect jobs per year for the duration of six years, giving a major boost to the domestic aerospace ecosystem.