Our budget and production capabilities have plagued us. Instead of opting for ToT and similar things, we should have bought Su-30 MKIs directly from Russia in flyaway condition, would have saved our time, a lot of money as Russian ones cost less.
We have fewer production lines and that’s the reason why 18 Su-30 MKI order was reduced to 12, because 6 additional MKIs would mean addition 6 months occupied HAL Nashik facility delaying Tejas MK1A production by 6 months as MK1A will be produced in Nashik facility.
those 6 MKIs would have meant a Lot, may seem only 6 MKIs but 6 MKIs alone are fleet of many airforces (Armenian airforce only has 4 Su-30s). But we didn’t go for those 6 MKIs for Tejas MK1A early production.
I am afraid even if we are able to make Tejas MK2 MWF, ORCA, TEDBF, AMCA where will it be made Simultaneously with Tejas MK1A as 83 Tejas MK1A order will complete by 2028, how the hell we will manufacture others let alone quickly.
That’s why 114 MRFA is necessary, it will open another production line to be later used for indigenous aircraft manufacturing But all 114 aircraft won’t be manufactured before 2030.
We have capabilities to make very best fighters but lack capabilities in manufacturing them.