Tejas Fighter Jet: Increasing demand for Tejas fighter jet, 6 other countries including America showed interest

India's indigenous jet aircraft Tejas included in the Indian Air Force is being discussed globally. Jet aircraft Tejas where the South-Asian country remains the first choice of Malaysia. At the same time, six other countries have also shown their interest in Tejas. Let us tell you that talks are going on between India and Malaysia regarding the deal for this fighter jet. India has offered to sell 18 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas to Malaysia.

Defense Ministry said-

• The Defense Ministry on Friday said that Argentina, Australia, Egypt, the United States, Indonesia and the Philippines have shown their interest in buying the single-engine Tejas fighter jet.
• "The Indian government last year awarded a $6 billion contract to state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for 83 locally produced Tejas jets for delivery around 2023 for the first time in 1983," the ministry said. This happened four decades after it was approved.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, keen to reduce India's dependence on foreign defense equipment, is also making diplomatic efforts to export jets. The Tejas is beset with design and other challenges, and was once dismissed by the Indian Navy as too heavy.
• The Defense Ministry told Parliament that Hindustan Aeronautics had in October last year responded to the Royal Malaysian Air Force's request for a proposal for 18 jets, offering to sell a two-seater version of the Tejas.
• "Other countries have shown interest in LCA aircraft, which include Argentina, Australia, Egypt, the US, Indonesia and the Philippines," Minister of State for Defense Ajay Bhatt told Members of Parliament in a written reply. He said the country was also working on building a stealth fighter jet, but declined to give a timeline, citing national security concerns. India currently has a mix of Russian, British and French fighter jets.