Tejas Jet

Initially, GE Aerospace was expected to begin engine deliveries in March 2023 to support HAL's production of Tejas Mk1. However, the first batch of engines is now anticipated to arrive by April 2025

GE Aerospace has reportedly promised to start deliveries by either March or April 2025, amounting to a two-year delay

Total number of Tejas fighters set to exceed 200

A Court of Inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident

India on Thursday accorded an initial approval to procure an additional batch of 97 Tejas light combat aircraft and around 150 Prachand helicopters to boost the overall combat capability of the armed forces, official sources said. The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also cleared a proposal of the Indian Air Force to upgrade its Su-30 fighter fleet, the sources said. It is learnt that mega procurement projects and the Su-30 upgrade programme are expected to cost the exchequer Rs 1.3 lakh crore. The defence ministry is expected to provide the details of the projects cleared by the DAC soon.

Technology around manufacturing jet engines capable of powering fighter aircraft is very closely guarded and remains the biggest impediment for countries wanting to develop their own combat aircraft

HAL also proposes to remove 300 kg of dead weight distributed across the Mark I to balance the fighter evenly

India acknowledged Argentina's interest in the made-in-India Tejas fighter aircraft for the Argentine Air Force

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Air force chiefs, including Pakistan's recently, often go up for a spin to boost the morale of their fighter pilots.

Says he chose Tejas because it is an Indian fighter

He was accompanied by Air Vice Marshal N Tiwari, who is also the Project Director, National Flight Test Centre

Sitharaman also said the government was eagerly awaiting the 'Mark II' version of the Tejas