By- Srushti sharma
With a combined value of around Rs 1.4 lakh crore, India is now scheduled to grant preliminary clearance to three massive indigenous projects
To produce an additional aircraft carrier, 97 Tejas fighters, and 156 Prachand light combat helicopters.
It is probable that the "acceptance of necessity (AoN)" would be addressed by the Rajnath Singh-led Defence Acquisitions Council.
The completion of all these initiatives, which will take several years, is essential to enhancing the nation's operational military readiness.
These 180 Tejas jets are critical for IAF to boost the number of its fighter squadrons, which is down to just 31 when at least 42 are required to tackle China and Pakistan.
The first 83 Mark-1A jets are slated for delivery in the February 2024-February 2028 timeframe.
It will take 8-10 years for the second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-2), in turn, to be built at the Cochin Shipyard for around Rs 40,000 crore
INS Vikrant was commissioned in September 2022, after being built for around Rs 20,000 crore, but will be fully combat-ready only by mid-2024.
The Navy also has the older Russian-origin carrier INS Vikramaditya, the refurbished Admiral Gorshkov inducted in November 2013 under a $2.33 billion deal with Russia.