India has chosen domestically produced aircraft to replace its ageing fleet of Soviet-era MiGs. The move comes amid tensions with it neighbor Pakistan.
India signed a 623.70 billion rupee ($7 billion; €6 billion) contract with national aircraft manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) on Thursday to modernize its armed forces.
The deal involves the acquisition of 97 Tejas Mk-1A fighter jets that would be made in India.
“This contract reflects the trust and confidence of the government and the armed forces in the indigenously developed aircraft Tejas, which will be the mainstay of the [Indian Air Force] in the years to come,” wrote India’s Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on the social media platform X.
