India has taken a significant step toward bolstering its aerial combat capabilities with a dual-track strategy that balances indigenous development with high-end imports. On 19 August 2025, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the purchase of 97 TEJAS MK-1A fighter jets from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for USD 7.4 billion.
This latest approval expands the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) cumulative TEJAS MK-1A orders to 180 aircraft, underscoring the government’s confidence in the indigenous fighter program and its commitment to defence production self-reliance under the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” initiative.
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The TEJAS MK-1A, a light, single-engine, multi-role fighter, is optimised as a cost-effective fleet-strengthening solution for air defence, combat air patrol, and limited ground-attack roles.
The jet incorporates substantial upgrades over its earlier variants, such as an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, modern electronic warfare suites, an in-flight refuelling capability, beyond-visual-range (BVR) combat compatibility including integration with the indigenous Astra missile, an onboard oxygen generation system (OBOGS), and advanced self-defence measures.
With more than 65% indigenous content, this program involves over 500 Indian vendors, creating a robust domestic military-industrial ecosystem for spare parts, avionics, and sub-systems. Its primary advantages are numerical strength, low operating costs, local supply chain reliability, and self-sufficiency, although it retains limitations in terms of shorter range, lighter payload, and single-engine risks.
Parallel to this indigenous procurement milestone, the IAF is actively pursuing external reinforcement for its high-end mission requirements. Negotiations are underway with France for a government-to-government deal to acquire 114 Dassault Rafale fighter jets under the long-anticipated Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) program.
These potential additions would complement the 36 Rafales already serving in the IAF and the 26 Rafale-M naval variant ordered in April 2025 for the Indian Navy. The Rafale, a twin-engine, medium-to-heavy omni-role fighter, offers a markedly broader mission spectrum—encompassing air superiority dogfights, long-range precision strikes, maritime strike capability, electronic warfare, reconnaissance, and nuclear deterrence delivery profiles.
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It is particularly valued for its extended operational range, higher survivability with twin engines, and diverse payload capacity. However, it is associated with higher costs and dependence on foreign suppliers, highlighting India’s continued need to carefully balance operational effectiveness with affordability.
Indian defence officials stress that the TEJAS and Rafale are complementary rather than rival platforms. The TEJAS strengthens India’s air power numerically and economically, allowing the IAF to maintain a robust frontline defence posture at relatively lower cost, while the Rafale provides strategic depth, deterrent value, and high-end combat effectiveness against peer adversaries.
This bifurcated approach allows India to simultaneously address quantitative requirements of fleet size and qualitative needs for maintaining technological parity or superiority in a contested regional environment.
Adding a further layer to airborne surveillance and battle-space management, the newly approved deal also includes six AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning & Control) aircraft, ensuring enhanced situational awareness, command networking, and force coordination in modern high-intensity conflicts.
Taken together, these decisions signify a comprehensive modernisation drive that enhances the IAF’s deterrence posture, war fighting potential, and indigenous defence industry. By increasing indigenous TEJAS numbers for routine missions while turning to Rafales for critical high-impact operations, India is building a tiered fighter fleet structure that optimally combines cost-efficiency with advanced capabilities.
This dual investment strategy ultimately ensures that India maintains readiness across the spectrum of air conflicts—ranging from border patrols and defensive operations to strategic deep-strike and nuclear-capable deterrence missions.
Agencies
