Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has approved the development of Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mark 2 fighter aircraft. It would be a replacement for the Mirage 2000, Jaguar and MiG-29 combat aircraft in the Indian Air Force. “LCA Mark 2 fighter aircraft development project has been cleared by the government. This would pave the way for designers to develop an advanced 17.5-tonne single-engine aircraft,” said Aeronautical Development Agency chief Girish Deodhare.

Speaking about the project, Girish Deodhare said that the development of the new aircraft is scheduled to be completed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) by 2027.

He further said that the aircraft would be the advanced replacement for the MiG-29, Mirage 2000 and Jaguar fighter jets. “This decision will give a tremendous boost to the indigenous design and development of our next-generation fighter aircraft. It’ll further ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative in the domain of aircraft manufacturing,” IAF chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari told ANI on the LCA Mark 2 fighter aircraft development project. The Indian Air Force (IAF) currently operates one squadron of the 16 ‘Mark 1’ baseline Tejas variants at its airbase in Sulur, Coimbatore.