The India government has agreed to buy at least seven squadrons of modified Tejas Mk 1A fighters while it waits for Mk 2 version.
By Ashwin Kumar [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
The Indian Air Force had earlier placed an order for 40 Tejas Mk 1s.
The new Mk 1A is around 1,000 kg lighter than the Mk 1. This is achieved by shaving off ballast weight that was placed around the aircraft to balance it. But the greatest amount of weight savings come from redesigning the landing gear. The indigenous radar will be replaced by an Israeli mode which is lighter as well.