India's HF-24 Marut was the first domestically designed and produced modern jet combat aircraft in Asia, and this was years before China exploded its first atomic weapon.
India’s fighter aircraft strength will be down to 31 squadrons by the end of the year, down from 42. It will further reduce when Mirage 2000, MiG-29, and Jaguar squadrons are phased out.
The delays have directly affected the delivery of Tejas Mk-1A fighter jets to the IAF, which is eager to operationalise its new aircraft amid dwindling squadron strength.
At a time when the spotlight is on state-run HAL due to its slow pace of manufacturing Tejas fighters, Air Chief Marshal Singh's candid remarks were recorded by a YouTube channel.
Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd Chairman DK Sunil says talks are on with GE over technology transfer for F414 engines for Tejas Mk-2 & possibly Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft.
India is in talks with Denmark over the engine charge amplifiers, while HAL has contracted a local firm to indigenise them, it is learnt. HAL was supposed to start the delivery in March.
The first Tejas will be delivered with Category B engines, reserve engines which may have been used before or came in and remained unused as part of earlier deal with GE for Tejas series.
IAF facing severe shortage in fighter strength and state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has failed to deliver. Of IAF's initial order of 40 Tejas, HAL has delivered only 36.
By consolidating 29 laws into four codes, compliance is streamlined and regulations are simplified, improving “ease of doing business”. This is bound to improve investor confidence.
UP govt had received investment commitments of Rs 4.28 lakh crore during the investors summit in 2018, and Rs 33.5 lakh crore during the global investors summit in 2023.
Indigenisation level will progressively increase up to 60 percent with key sub-assemblies, electronics and mechanical parts being manufactured locally.
It is a brilliant, reasonably priced, and mostly homemade aircraft with a stellar safety record; only two crashes in 24 years since its first flight. But its crash is a moment of introspection.
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