HAL likely to deliver two Tejas Mark-1A jets next month: Defence secretary
New Delhi (PTI): Two Tejas Mark-1A fighter jets are likely to be delivered next month by the state-run aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), Defence Secretary R K Singh has said.
Singh said that the government is likely to ink a fresh contract with HAL for procuring an additional batch of 97 Tejas jets after the delivery of the two aircraft.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) had flagged concerns over delays in the delivery of the Tejas Mark 1A jets under a previous contract.
"Hopefully, the first two of those will be delivered with weapons integration by the end of September," Singh said at the NDTV Defence Summit.
The defence secretary said about 38 Tejas jets are already in service and another 80-odd are being manufactured.
In February 2021, the defence ministry sealed a Rs 48,000 crore deal with HAL for the procurement of 83 Tejas Mk-1A jets for the IAF.
The delivery of the jets is facing delays primarily due to the US defence major GE Aerospace missing several deadlines for the supply of its aero engines to power the jets.
Last week, the government approved an additional batch of 97 Tejas fighters at a cost of around Rs 67,000 crore.
"I have made it clear to HAL that we will sign this contract only after HAL delivers two Tejas featuring a complete package," Singh said on the additional procurement.
He said HAL "will have an order book for four to five years".
"Hopefully, they (HAL) will be able to perfect this platform, integrate the radar and Indian weapons, so that it becomes a workhorse for us along with the Sukhoi," Singh said.
"There will still be a gap and for that gap we will have to look at some other options," he said, hinting at the procurement of more platforms for the IAF.
The single-engine Mk-1A will be a replacement for the IAF's MiG-21 fighters.
The IAF is looking at inducting the warplanes as the number of its fighter squadrons has gone down to 31 from the officially sanctioned strength of 42.
Tejas is a single-engine 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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BJP will form govt in Bengal with thumping majority: Nabin
Mirzapur (UP) (PTI): BJP president Nitin Nabin on Wednesday voiced confidence that his party will form the government in West Bengal with a "thumping majority".
Polling is underway for 142 constituencies in the second and final phase of the West Bengal assembly elections, covering key districts, including Kolkata, Howrah and North and South 24 Parganas.
The high-stakes contest is being seen as decisive for the ruling TMC's bid for a fourth consecutive term and the BJP's push to form its first government in the state. The first phase held on April 23 recorded a high voter turnout of over 93 per cent, reflecting intense electoral engagement.
Speaking to reporters in Mirzapur, Nabin said, "The BJP will form the government in Bengal. We are winning the elections with a massive majority."
Earlier in the day, the BJP chief visited the Vindhyavasini temple and offered prayers. The rituals were conducted by his priest Acharya Agastya Kumar Dwivedi.
On his first visit to the district after assuming office, Nabin was welcomed by party workers at several places. At the temple, he was received by city MLA Ratnakar Mishra and District Magistrate Pawan Kumar Gangwar, who felicitated him with a traditional 'angvastram'.
After offering prayers for about 10 minutes amid Vedic chants, Nabin held a meeting at a hotel with local MLAs, including Mishra, Majhwan MLA Suchismita Maurya and Madihan MLA Ramashankar Patel.
Patel said Nabin emphasised strengthening the organisation and asked public representatives to focus on serving people in their respective constituencies.
Several party leaders, including district president Lal Bahadur Saroj, district vice-president Gaurav Umar, municipal chairperson Shyam Sundar Kesari, women workers and senior officials, were present on the occasion.
Elaborate security arrangements were put in place by the district administration for the visit, with multiple officers of circle officer rank deployed, officials said.
