Govt inks Rs 62,000 cr contract with HAL to procure 97 Tejas jets for IAF
New Delhi (PTI): The defence ministry on Thursday sealed a Rs 62,370 crore deal with the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) to procure 97 Tejas MK-1A light combat aircraft for the Indian Air Force.
The signing of the contract came over a month after the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi green-lighted the mega procurement.
The delivery of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) would commence in 2027-28 and the supplies will have to be completed over a period of six years, officials said.
"The Ministry of Defence signed a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for procurement of 97 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk1A, including 68 fighters and 29 twin seaters, along with associated equipment, for the Indian Air Force, at a cost of over Rs. 62,370 crore (excluding taxes)," according to an official readout.
It is the second such contract awarded to the state-run aerospace behemoth.
In February 2021, the defence ministry sealed a Rs 48,000 crore deal with HAL for procurement of 83 Tejas MK-1A jets for the IAF.
"The aircraft will have an indigenous content of over 64 per cent, with 67 additional items incorporated, over and above the previous LCA Mk1A contract signed in January 2021," the defence ministry said.
"The integration of advanced indigenously developed systems such as the Uttam Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar, Swayam Raksha Kavach, and control surface actuators will further strengthen the Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) initiatives," it said.
The single-engine Mk-1A will be a replacement for the IAF's MiG-21 fighters.
"The LCA Mk1A is the most advanced variant of the indigenously designed & manufactured fighter aircraft and will serve as a potent platform to meet the operational requirements of the IAF," the ministry said in the readout.
The sealing of the contract comes a day before the IAF bids farewell to MiG-21 fleet.
The ministry said the project to procure the 97 Tejas jets is being supported by a robust vendor base of nearly 105 Indian companies directly engaged in the manufacture of various components.
It said the production of the jets is expected to generate close to 11,750 direct and indirect jobs per year for the duration of six years, giving a major boost to the domestic aerospace ecosystem.
"The acquisition, under the 'Buy (India-IDDM)' category of Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020, is in line with the government's thrust on indigenisation," the ministry said.
The IAF is looking at inducting the warplanes as the number of its fighter squadrons have gone down to 31 from officially sanctioned strength of 42.
Tejas is a multi-role fighter aircraft capable of operating in high-threat air environments.
It has been designed to undertake the air defence, maritime reconnaissance and strike roles.
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UP Cong holds statewide protest seeking probe into FIR against Swami Avimukteshwaranand
Lucknow (PTI): The Uttar Pradesh Congress on Wednesday staged a statewide protest demanding a fair and transparent inquiry into the FIR lodged against Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati and those who filed the complaint against him.
In a statement issued here, the party said memorandums addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi were submitted through district magistrates in all districts of the state.
Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Manish Hindvi told PTI that the memorandums were handed over through the district administration in all 75 districts.
In the memorandum, the party alleged that Saraswati and his disciples were "unnecessarily harassed and humiliated" by police on the occasion of Amavasya and were prevented from taking a ritual bath (at the Magh Mela). It further alleged that some disciples were manhandled and taken to a police station.
The memorandum also claimed that an FIR was later registered against Saraswati, his disciple Swami Mukundanand Brahmachari and several unidentified persons in a sexual harassment case. It termed the case a "conspiracy" aimed at tarnishing the seer's reputation.
Citing Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution, the memorandum stated that these provisions guarantee religious freedom and the right of religious denominations to manage their own affairs.
It described the position of shankaracharya held by Saraswati as "one of the highest spiritual posts in Sanatan tradition" and alleged that the entire episode appeared to have been "orchestrated in a planned manner".
"We request that the background of the persons who got the FIR registered be investigated in a transparent manner by a retired high court judge and strict action be taken against them," the memorandum said.
It also sought a "fair and transparent probe" into the allegations levelled against Saraswati so that the truth could be established.
Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai had told reporters in Varanasi after meeting Saraswati that the party stood firmly with him.
The Congress said it would continue to press for an impartial inquiry into the entire episode.
On February 21, an FIR was lodged in Prayagraj against Saraswati and his disciple Mukundanand Brahmachari on charges of sexually abusing two persons, including a minor, over the past year at a gurukul and religious congregations, including the recently concluded Magh Mela.
Days after he was booked, Saraswati had said on Monday that he would not oppose his arrest and asserted that the "fabricated story" would be exposed sooner or later.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Saraswati alleged that criminals rule in Uttar Pradesh, level allegations and influence investigations, as he denied having any contact with the two persons for whose alleged sexual abuse he has been booked.
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