Tejas export planned

Preliminary discussions have been held with a few friendly countries to export the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said in a written reply to a parliament in the Lok Sabha on November 18, 2016.

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) is also ramping up LCA production from eight per annum, with plans to produce 16 units by 2019-2020, he said.

Meanwhile, deliveries of Rafael will commence from September, 2019 under an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) which was signed on 23 September 2016, said Minister of State for Defence Dr Subhash Bhamre.

IGA along with Aircraft & Weapons Package Supply Protocols and Technical Arrangement were signed with the French Government for procurement of 36 Rafale aircraft in fly-away condition.

An IGA for procurement of five Firing Units of S-400 Long Range Surface to Air Missile (LRSAM) system along with associated equipment from Russia has been signed on 15th October, 2016.

An IGA for the procurement of Kamov helicopters for Indian Air Force and Indian Army from Russia under ‘Buy and Make (Indian)’ category was signed on 24th December, 2015. The terms and conditions for supply of these equipment are to be negotiated with the Russian side. fii-news.com