CURRENT AFFAIRS

Detailed explanation-1: -The government last year gave a $6 billion contract to state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd for 83 of the locally produced Tejas jets for delivery starting around 2023 - four decades after it was first approved in 1983. The Tejas has been beset by design and other challenges.

Detailed explanation-2: -“Other countries which have evinced interest in the LCA aircraft are: Argentina, Australia, Egypt, USA, Indonesia, and Philippines,” Bhatt said in a statement reported by Reuters.

Detailed explanation-3: -Tejas is a lightweight, multi-role, supersonic fighter aircraft operated by the Indian Air Force. The Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has confirmed that Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) offered its twin-seater variant of light-combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas to Malaysia.

Detailed explanation-4: -Defence expert Qamar Agha said that if compared to Sukhoi, Tejas is much lighter. The government had informed the Lok Sabha on Friday that Malaysia is procuring 18 Tejas fighter jets while the US, Argentina, Australia, Egypt, Indonesia and Philippines too have shown interest to procure the light combat aircraft (LCA).