November 29, 2023
1 min read

Defence Ministry Set to Greenlight ₹1.3L Cr Aircraft Projects

The two projects are listed for discussion at the Defence Acquisition Council meeting planned on November 30….reports Asian Lite News

The Defence Ministry is scheduled to take up two of India’s biggest-ever fighter aircraft projects worth Rs 1.3 lakh crore for discussion in a crucial meeting this week including buying 97 new LCA Mark 1A fighter aircraft and indigenously upgrading 84 Su-30 MKI combat planes.

“The projects are scheduled to come up for discussion at the Defence Ministry meeting scheduled on November 30,” defence sources told ANI.

Sources said the 97 LCA Mark1A project would help the country to build a strong fighter aircraft manufacturing ecosystem across the country and also help the Indian Air Force to replace its MiG-21 fleet which is being phased out.

The two projects are listed for discussion at the Defence Acquisition Council meeting planned on November 30.

The Indian Air Force has already ordered 83 LCA Mark1A fighter planes and their deliveries are expected to start in February-March 2024.

The value of the 97 aircraft is expected to be around Rs 65,000 crore which would be the largest ever fighter aircraft deal in the country.

The Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft project upgrade programme is also one of the biggest ever programmes planned to be done completely indigenously where Indian weapons, sensors and radars would be fitted on Russian-origin planes.

The project is expected to cost around Rs 64,000 crores.

The Indian firm Hindustan Aeronautics Limited will be doing the complete design and development work on the aircraft which includes equipping the aircraft with the latest Virupaksha AESA radars.

The Su-30 fighter jets are the mainstay of the Indian Air Force with 260 of them already in service. The jets have been inducted in different batches and have now formed around 50 per cent of the fighter fleet.

The Su-30MKI fleet upgrade plan is also seen by the Indian Air Force as an opportunity for exports as many countries in Southeast Asia and Africa operate the plane and can use these solutions to provide advanced capabilities to their fleets. (By Ajit K Dubey/ANI)

ALSO READ: Maiden EU-India Navy Exercise in Gulf of Guinea

Previous Story

Indian Navy Advances Second Aircraft Carrier Project

Next Story

India, IEA Review Cooperation, Global Energy Outlook

Latest from Defence

New India Shakes Old Powers

The West’s anxiety isn’t just about India’s growing power – it’s about what that power represents: a world order that no longer centres on Western approval…writes Pradeep Ramlall How India silenced Pakistan

Trump’s $175B Dome Plan

The ambitious system is designed to create a comprehensive network of satellites capable of detecting, tracking, and intercepting incoming missiles….reports Asian Lite News US President Donald Trump announced Tuesday a $175 billion

Kim urges constant war preparedness

Drills included tests of a new long-range precision glide bomb, precision bombing runs on naval targets, drone interception using helicopters, and demonstrations of strategic and multipurpose drones. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un

Senior general appointed new Royal Navy chief in UK

Gen. Sir Gwyn Jenkins also faced allegations that he oversaw the rejection of hundreds of resettlement applications from former Afghan special forces members who served alongside British troops against the Taliban The
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Rajnath Singh to skip Russia visit

The decision comes amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan

Indian Navy, IAF dispatch second tranche of aid to Myanmar

Myanmar, which is hit by Typhoon Yagi, will get 32