India can't remain dependent on other countries for its defence: Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh saidon Tuesday that India cannot remain dependent on othercountries for its defence and that the indigenously developedTejas was better than its foreign equivalents on severalparameters and also comparitively cheaper.

Under the 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, India is lookingforward to increase its defence manufacturing capabilities,said Singh, who inaugurated Hindustan Aeronautics Limited'ssecond LCA-Tejas production plant here.

''India cannot remain dependent on other countries for itsdefence'', he said.

Singh said Tejas is not only indigenous, but better thanits foreign equivalents on several parameters and alsocomparatively cheaper.

''Many countries have shown interest in Tejas.

India will achieve the target of Rs 1.75 lakh crore inthe field of defence manufacturing in (a) few years'', he said.

The delivery of the Tejas LCA to the Indian Air Forceunder a Rs 48,000-crore deal will begin from March 2024 andaround 16 aircraft will be rolled out annually till thecompletion of the total supply of 83 jets, Chairman andManaging Director of HAL, R Madhavan said recently.

He had also said that a number of countries have shownkeen interest in procurement of the Tejas and that the firstexport order is likely to come by in the next couple of years.

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by PrimeMinister Narendra Modi, on January 13 approved the Rs 48,000-crore deal to procure 73 Tejas Mk-1A variants and 10 LCA TejasMk-1 trainer aircraft from HAL to boost the Indian Air Force'scombat prowess.

An HAL statement said Singh lauded the company's effortsto increase the production capacity of LCA, which is going tobe the backbone of IAF fighter fleet in years to come.

'HALs new LCA facility is example of how 'AatmanirbharBharat' is shaping and HAL deserves the largest indigenousorder of 83 LCA Mk-IA.

LCA is the pride of India and sends the right message toothers that India can make fighters of class in-house'', he wasquoted as saying in the HAL statement.

''The fighter is superior in many ways when compared toother fighters in its category, besides being cost effective.

I compliment HAL for working through the COVID times andbringing out this facility.

The Company has a lot of talent and more orders shouldcome in its way in future.

We cannot depend on others on security issues andtherefore will make HAL stronger, whatever it takes'', Singhadded, according to the statement.

Madhavan said on Tuesday that phase -1 of the facility,getting ready on 35 acres, will enable HAL enhance itsproduction capacity to 16 from the current eight aircraftevery year.

HAL said the 83 LCA Mk1A aircraft will be produced in twoproduction lines here with over 500 plus production partnersacross India.

''All the 83 aircraft would be delivered to the Indian AirForce in the next decade, commencing 36 months from contractsigning.

HAL would be delivering 16 aircraft in a year to the AirForce.

The programne will catalyze the aerospace ecosystem inIndia and would enable India to be an epitome in PrimeMinisters vision for 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat''', HAL said.