India’s fighter acquisition saga began with the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) tender floated in 2007. The result: the Tejas Mk2 is far more capable than originally envisioned—but also much later than originally planned. But the Tejas Mk2 offers long-term strategic and economic advantages:Cost-effectiveness : Twice as many jets for the same budget. The Tejas Mk2 saga highlights broader lessons for India’s defence planning:Stable requirements : Constantly shifting specifications delay projects and inflate costs. Had the Tejas Mk2 been prioritized earlier, India might not have needed to reopen a $25-billion foreign tender at all.