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New Delhi . The 97 Tejas Mark-1A fighter planes between the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is going to be the biggest deal ever. It costs around 66,500 crores. According to sources, this mega deal can only be done on Thursday. Let us tell you that 36 old MiG-21 aircraft will retire on Friday. This will reduce the strength of Air Force to a minimum of 29 fighter squadron so far.

While India will have 29 squadrons (16-18 fighter aircraft in every squadron), Pakistan currently has 25 squadrons and is soon to get 40 J-35A fifth generation stealth jets from China. China’s position is far ahead, which has four times more fighter aircraft, bombers and other strategic capabilities than India.

The recent IAF’s recent internal report states that 42.5 squadrons would not be sufficient to face the threat generated simultaneously from China and Pakistan.

IAF has been repeatedly insisting that the development and supply of Tejas is very slow. Air Chief Marshal A. P. Singh recently said that the Air Force is in a very weak condition in terms of number and needs at least 40 new fighter aircraft every year.

HAL has to deliver from February 2024 to February 2028 under the first contract (Rs 46,898 crore) of 83 Tejas Mark-1A aircraft in February 2021. But IAF has not yet received a single aircraft. HAL claims that it will hand over the first two aircraft by October this year.

HAL signed a 99 GE-F404 engine deal with the American company General Electric (GE) in August 2021, priced at Rs 5,375 crore. Three engines have arrived so far and seven more are expected to be met by December. After this, GE will give 20 engines every year. For the new 97 aircraft, HAL will have to buy 113 more engines from GE, which will cost around $ 1 billion.

However, the Air Force will accept these first two aircraft only when the weapons (BVR) missiles, short-range air-air-air missiles and laser-guided bomb firing trials are successfully completed and certified.