By Shivam Patel and Hritam Mukherjee
NEW DELHI (Reuters) -India signed a deal worth 623.70 billion rupees ($7.03 billion) on Thursday to buy indigenous fighter aircraft from state warplane maker Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) in the effort to modernise its armed forces.
The acquisition comes in the face of the growing military strength and influence in South Asia of neighbour China, including defence ties with India’s arch-rival Pakistan.
The order for 97 home-grown fighters of the Tejas Mk-1A variety, envisages completion of deliveries over a span of six years from financial year 2027-28, the defence ministry said in a statement.
“The supply of these aircraft by HAL would enhance operational capability of the Indian Air Force to continue their unhindered operations and strengthen defence preparedness,” Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said in a post on X.
The news came a day ahead of the last flight of the Indian Air Force’s Russian-origin MiG-21 fighters.
After that India’s fleet of mainly ex-Soviet fighter aircraft will shrink to 29 from an approved strength of 42, a matter of frustration for officials after a bitter military conflict with Pakistan in May.
Thursday’s deal is a follow-on order for the advanced Mk-1A version of the Tejas group of fighters, powered by General Electric engines.
The government signed a deal with HAL in 2021 for 83 such aircraft but delivery of that order has yet to begin, as the warplane maker blamed GE for being slow in providing the engines.
GE has said the delay followed challenges in restarting the production line and re-engaging global supply chains for the engine after the COVID-19 pandemic.
It delivered the first engine for the Mk-1A fighter in March this year and Indian officials have said they expect production and deliveries to stabilise in the current fiscal year.
Thursday’s order would take India’s total Tejas fleet to 220, and officials expect to sign a follow-on deal with GE for additional engines.
($1=88.6880 Indian rupees)
(Reporting by Shivam Patel and Hritam Mukherjee; Editing by YP Rajesh and Clarence Fernandez)
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