New Delhi signs deal with US company to buy 113 engines for Tejas fighter jet. What does it mean for India?
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "New Delhi signs deal with US company to buy 113 engines for Tejas fighter jet. What does it mean for India?")
Tejas Mk1A fighter jet
The deal is also important for India in the wake of its depleting fighter squadrons due to ageing jets and the threat posed by its neighbour China.
India is buying 113 engines from the US company General Electric for its indigenously built light combat aircraft Tejas. The Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) inked a deal with General electric in this regard on Friday. This is being seen as a sign of warming ties with the US following months of tariff-induce tensions.
The deal is also important for India in the wake of its depleting fighter squadrons due to ageing jets and the threat posed by its neighbour China, that has continuously been enhancing its defence prowess.
The delivery of the F404-GE-IN20 jet engines will begin in 2027 and be completed by 2032, according to various media reports.
However, one thing to be noted is that the deliveries of 99 such engines ordered in 2021 has been delayed thus slowing the rollout of the fighter jets. According to General Electric the delay in the deliveries were due to supply chain issues following COVID-19, reported Reuters. So far only four engines have arrived from the lot.
First flight of Tejas Mk1A
India's indigenously developed Tejas Mk1A a single-engine, multi-role fighter aircraft capable of operating in high-threat air environments flew for the first time in the skies of Nashik on Friday, October 17, in the presence of the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. It was a significant milestone in India's indigenous defence capabilities. It was celebrated with a water cannon salute. The aircraft was developed in the Nashik facility, where there was also the inauguration of the second HAL HTT‑40 basic trainer production line and the third LCA Tejas Mk1A production line.
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The Tejas Mk1A is variant boasts an advance avionics, enhanced radar capabilities and air to air refueling capabilities. With an investment of Rs 150 crore the new production line in the Nashik facility is expected to produce eight Tejas Mk1A jets annually, contributing to a combined output of 24 jets per year.
