According to Bloomberg, Nigeria is in discussions with India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. to acquire Tejas fighter fighters from the company’s chairman, C. B. Ananthakrishnan.
The Chairman of the military hardware firm also cited Argentina, Egypt, and the Philippines as countries interested in purchasing these planes.
Hindustan Aeronautics is growing its footprint in overseas markets by opening offices, according to its most recent annual report.
To increase exports, the corporation is actively engaging with the Nigerian Army Aviation and the Argentine Air Force, offering officer training and selling replacement parts.
Exports account for only 1% of income for the fighter aircraft manufacturer, which has witnessed a boom in significant orders from the Indian Defense Force, but Prime Minister Modi wants to change that.
The Indian Prime Minister has set a target of $5 billion in yearly exports by the fiscal year ending March 2025.
According to a 2021 study, Nigeria often purchases military weapons from the United States, Russia, Brazil, Pakistan, and China.
In January, then-President Buhari stated that Nigeria spent over $1 billion on armaments in order to reclaim territory from the feared Boko Haram terrorist group.
Part of the money was used to acquire 12 Super Tucano fighter jets from the United States for around $500 million.
Nigeria has been dealing with a slew of security challenges, including the Boko Haram insurgency in the country’s north-east, since 2009. Banditry and abduction have been common in the north-west and north-central, with states such as Kaduna, Niger, Katsina, and Zamfara at the epicentre of the violence.
Separatist activities in the south-east have taken on a more violent tone since 2017, adding to the load on Nigeria’s already overburdened military.
A Nigerian Air Force chopper crashed in Niger State in August while on a mission to rescue soldiers fighting bandits.
