India wouldn't have seen light combat fighter aircraft HAL Tejas if not for the timely intervention of late businessman Ratan Tata, said Kota Harinarayana, who is hailed as the brain behind Tejas.
Speaking to noted aerospace and defence journalist Dr. Anantha Krishnan M., Harinarayana was asked to talk about the initial years of LCA Tejas and Tata's involvement in the project that had faced a possible shutdown even before it could take off as it did not have enough backing from the government authorities.
We wouldn't have seen Tejas at all, if not for the timely intervention of Ratan Tata, said Harinarayana. The late businessman is known to have consistently advocated for self-reliance in defense manufacturing.
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"There was a time when there was no money in 1990, and in fact, the government itself was going through a difficult phase. We discussed with the Indian Air Force, and we came to an understanding that the development of light combat aircraft would be done in two phases," he said.
The IAF then asked the scientists to demonstrate all the key technologies of an actual flying combat aircraft and promised to give authorisation later.
"By the time all these happened, India went through a difficult phase and there was no money in the country. And so we didn't get any money. We were managing with Rs 500 crore and money was coming to an end. In 1991, Sharad Pawar became the defence minister. He constituted a committee with stalwarts like Ratan Tata, Rahul Bajaj and some of the key IAF officers and others with the view to take a decision whether we should continue the LCA project."
Sharad Pawar and other members of the committee then came to Bengaluru and spent about 8-10 hours, reviewing the LCA project.
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According to Harinarayana, Suresh Kalmadi, who was pretty close to Pawar, was vehemently against the project. Harinarayana said Kalmadi gave the impression that he wanted to shut down the project.
“Sharad Pawar felt there should be a review and then a decision should be taken...So after a week, the committee met. Pawar started the meeting requesting Ratan Tata what his recommendation should be. Ratan Tata made a statement...the kind of technology that LCA team developed was extraordinary. He (Tata) used the word extraordinary, and he was mighty impressed with the technology developed by the team. He made a statement, 'it would be a shame if the government of India closes this project.”
The other members of the committee echoed the sentiments of Ratan Tata, Harinarayana said.
"During the discussion, Ratan Tata also made a statement, 'given a choice, if the governmnet of India, for some reason, wants to close the project, Tatas are ready to take it forward and develop this aircraft for the country'."
After the meeting, Tata went to the room of Dr V.S. Arunachalam, who was then the scientific advisor to the defence minister, and reiterated his commitment to support the "extraordinary" Tejas project and told him that the country needs an aircraft of this size.
Not many people know that when LCA project was on the verge of being shut down, Ratan Tata came forward in support of the project, Harinarayana added.