NEW DELHI: The largest contract for 97 Tejas Mark-1A fi-ghters, worth Rs 66,500 crore, is all set to be inked with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, though IAF is yet to get even the first such 'improved' jet of the 83 ordered earlier for Rs 46,898 crore in Feb 2021. The mega 97-jet contract for the fourth-generation Tejas could be inked as early as Thursday, a day ahead of the retirement of 36 old MiG-21s that will drag down IAF to its all-time low of 29 fighter squadrons (each has 16-18 jets), defence sources told TOI. Pakistan, in contrast, is cruising close behind with 25 fighter squadrons, and will get at least 40 J-35A fifth-generation Chinese stealth jets in the near future. China, of course, is leagues ahead, with more than four times the number of fighters, bombers and force-mul

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