Despite Navy’s refusal for Tejas aircraft, LCA Navy programme to continue: Parrikar

BENGALURU: Notwithstanding the Indian Navy’s refusal to accept the LCA-Navy, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Tuesday said that both the Centre and the Navy are in full support of the programme.

Parrikar shared the developments on the sidelines of Aero India-2017, which began here today. He explained, “It is wrong to say the Navy does not support the LCA (Light Combat Aircraft). They thoroughly support it. And the government supports it. You are being misinformed by an internal lobby.”

The LCA expansion of having eight more aircrafts has a 25 per cent financial component from the Navy, 25 per cent from the IAF and rest from the defence PSU, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), said the minister.


“The Navy wants a twin engine and for that the Naval LCA has to be tested. For example, the landing gear has to be stronger,” he said.

Parrikar said the Tejas is 50 per cent indigenous and the rest 45 per cent of the components have been imported. “We can’t make all things in our backyard. Make in India doesn’t mean we will not get things from outside, but make 40 to 50 per cent in India. This is part of the global supply chain,” he said.

Meanwhile, Parrikar also said discussions on single or double engine fighter jets are in the advanced stage. “We wish to get them by the end of the current calendar year,” he said.

The minister explained that there is a need of 300 to 400 fighter jets and 800 to 1,000 military helicopters.

He admitted that certain issues regarding the manufacturing of the India-Russia joint project of a Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) based on the Sukhoi PAK FA need to be addressed. “A small team has been created to deal with these issues,” he said.