The Ministry of Defence on Thursday placed an order with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the production of 97 LCA Tejas Mark-1A fighter aircraft for the Indian Air Force. The deal is valued at ₹62,370 crore.

This is the second major Tejas order for HAL. In February 2021, the Centre had signed a contract worth ₹46,898 crore for 83 Mark-1A aircraft, with delivery scheduled until 2028.

The Tejas Mark-1A, an advanced variant of the indigenous fighter jet, is set to replace the retiring MiG-21 fleet.

The aircraft will be deployed at Nal Airbase in Bikaner, Rajasthan, near the Pakistan border.

The MiG-21s, which played a crucial role in the 1971 war, the Kargil conflict, and several key missions over 62 years, will officially retire on September 26.

Equipped with upgraded avionics a

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