'We will fight with Indian solutions': New IAF chief puts Tejas, stealth fighter on top priority

New Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit on Sunday said induction of the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk-1A and development of the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) stealth fighter would be among his highest priorities as he sought to rebuild the force's combat strength.

In his first address after taking over as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff on Saturday, Dixit said the IAF would give preference to domestically developed combat aircraft, weapons and sensors while keeping its existing units ready for operations at short notice.

"We will fight with Indian solutions," he said, stressing the need to acquire aircraft and weapons in numbers sufficient to meet operational requirements.

Dixit succeeded Air Chief Marshal A P Singh on October 31.

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Fighter squadron strength in focus

The IAF's fighter strength has declined as ageing aircraft have been phased out and the induction of replacements has taken longer than planned.

IAF chief Dixit's predecessor had said in October that the Air Force needed 36 to 40 new fighter aircraft annually to arrest the decline in its squadron strength. The retirement of the MiG-21 fleet in September 2025 further reduced the number of available fighters.

Against this backdrop, the Tejas Mk-1A is among the key aircraft expected to enter service during IAF chief Dixit's tenure.

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is seeking to begin deliveries of the aircraft by the end of 2026 after repeated delays. The IAF has ordered 180 Tejas Mk-1A jets under two contracts -- 83 aircraft ordered in 2021 and another 97 in September 2025.

The combined value of the two contracts is about Rs 1.1 lakh crore. Deliveries of the 97 aircraft ordered last year are scheduled to begin in 2027-28 and continue over six years.

The central government is also pursuing the acquisition of 114 Rafale fighter jets. The proposal received initial approval from the Defence Acquisition Council in February 2026, though a final contract is yet to be signed.

Tejas Mk-2, AMCA on priority list

IAF chief Dixit also identified the Tejas Mk-2 and the AMCA as long-term priorities for the Air Force.

The Tejas Mk-2 is being developed as a larger and more capable aircraft than the Mk-1A and is intended to replace older fighters, including the Mirage 2000, Jaguar and MiG-29.

HAL has completed the joining of the main fuselage sections of the Mk-2 prototype and is targeting its first ground run in March 2027, followed by a maiden flight later that year.

The AMCA is India's planned fifth-generation stealth fighter. The defence ministry approved an industry-partnership model for the project in May 2025, allowing Indian public and private companies to compete for development work.

Jointsness and Operation Sindoor

IAF chief Dixit, who earlier served as Chief of Integrated Defence Staff, said cooperation with the Army, Navy and other national agencies should begin at the operational planning stage.

He referred to Operation Sindoor, the military confrontation between India and Pakistan in May 2025 following the Pahalgam terror attack, while discussing the use of precision air power.

"Air power delivers most when it is integrated from the very first plan," he said.

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