Welcome Tejas Mk1A. Now Let's Turn 'Make in India' Programme into A Success - News18
News 18Twitter lit up on Wednesday with defence correspondents announcing that a “a major Make in India project is going to be announced today”. Despite the first flight of the prototype taking place on January 4, 2001, the first production Tejas Mk1 entered IAF service only on July 1, 2016; the first aircraft in the Final Operational Clearance configuration donned IAF colours later on May 27 last year. The CCS approval states that induction would start within three years of contract signing, so one hopes to see Mk1A entering squadron service by 2024. The Air Chief is on record to say that in the coming years the IAF will procure the Tejas Mk2 version and the futuristic Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft, with the Director of ADA promising the first flight of Tejas Mk2 in 2026 and of AMCA by 2031. Additionally, the present Tejas production rate of HAL is only eight aircraft per year, with the induction of even the Mk1 never meeting promised timelines.