HAL plans to sell Tejas LCA to Argentina and Egypt, but loses Malaysian contract

Tejas was one of the two shortlisted aircraft in Malaysia, but the South Korean FA-50 made by Korean Aerospace Industries may bag the order

Indian Air Force (IAF) LCA Tejas performs an aerobatic display during the Aero India 2023 air show at Yelahanka air base in Bengaluru. Credit: Reuters Photo

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's shout-out to homegrown LCA Tejas, state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited on Tuesday said it had made a pitch to sell 15 home-grown multi-role fighters to Argentina and another 20 to Egypt.

"Both Argentina and Egypt have shown interest in the LCA. We have proposed to sell 15 Tejas LCA to Argentina and another 20 to Egypt. While talks are on with the Argentine authorities, we have submitted our proposal to Egypt, which is also interested in setting up an ecosystem,” C B Ananthakrishnan, chairman and managing director of the HAL said here at a press conference on the sidelines of Aero India.

He conceded that the aviation major probably lost in the Malaysian deal to buy Fighter Lead-in Trainer to South Korea, though there was no official announcement yet.

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In October 2021, HAL submitted a proposal to Malaysia’s Ministry of Defence to supply 18 Tejas LCA responding to a global tender that the Royal Malaysian Air Force had floated.

Tejas was one of the two shortlisted aircraft, but the South Korean FA-50 made by Korean Aerospace Industries may bag the order as the Korean firm had emerged as the frontrunner. However, nothing has been conveyed to the HAL officially.

Last August, HAL opened an office in Kualalumpur observing that the office would help HAL tap new business opportunities for Fighter Lead-in Trainer LCA and other requirements of the Royal Malaysian Air Force like Su-30 MKM and Hawk upgrades.

HAL officials said the Philippines had shown interest in procuring the Dhruv Advanced lightweight helicopters. If realised, it would be the second major military contract signed between India and Philippines after the two nations signed a contract on the induction of Brahmos cruise missile.

Asked about progress on the much-awaited LCA Mk-II, HAL CMD CB Ananthakrishnan said the first aircraft is expected to be rolled out in December 2024 and it would take to the sky in the third quarter of 2025.

In the previous edition of Aero-India, the aviation major was awarded a Rs 48,000 crore contract to supply 83 Tejas LCA Mark-1A to the IAF. “As per the contract, the first aircraft was to be delivered by February 2024 and we are on the course,” said another HAL official.