India’s Air Force to Receive 4 More Tejas Light Combat Aircraft in March 2019

India’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) announced on February 11 that state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will deliver four more Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA) to the Indian Air Force in March 2019 bringing the total number of Tejas fighters operated by the service to 16.

All the Tejas aircraft delivered are in initial operational configuration or capability (IOC), which means the fighter jet meets the minimum requirements for operational deployment by the IAF. “Till date, out of total 16 IOC fighter aircraft, 12 fighters have been delivered to IAF,” the MoD said in a statement. “HAL plans to deliver the balance 4 IOC fighter aircrafts by March, 2019.”

The MoD placed an order for 40 Tejas LCA Mark-I with HAL including eight tandem two-seat LCA trainer aircraft divided up into two batches in 2006 and 2010 respectively. While the first batch of Tejas aircraft is to consist of IOC fighters, the second batch of aircraft are expected to be delivered in final operational clearance (FOC). However, to date the Tejas LCA FOC status has not been cleared by the Indian Aeronautical Development Agency.