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![India in its 2013 annual budget has opted for the lowest spend on defence in over three decades [Xinhua Images]](http://thebricspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/india-army.jpg)
India in its 2013 annual budget has opted for the lowest spend on defence in over three decades [Xinhua Images]
A top official of HAL confirmed on Saturday the aircraft has been delivered ahead of schedule.
“The aircraft has been delivered ahead of schedule in a record 15 months against 24 months of normal manufacturing cycle time,” HAL Chairman R. K. Tyagi said.
The drone was successfully test flown from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur near Balasore in the eastern state of Odisha in 2012.
The company said in a statement ‘Lakshya-1 is a fully indigenous UAV that can realistically simulate enemy aircraft for air-to-air and surface-to-air weapon system operators; it permits proficiency assessment and improvement of weapon crew in live fire engagement’.
HAL has stated that it has plans to take up manufacturing of the next generation PTA- Lakshya 2; which will be designed and developed by India’s Aeronautical Development Establishment.
India in its 2013 annual budget has opted for the lowest spend on defence in over three decades.
The government proposed only a modest hike amounting to just over 5 per cent over the 2012 defence budget.
It was a record low for India, with the figure dropping considerably from 3.16 per cent of its GDP in 1987 to 1.79 per cent in 2013.
However, a new report published by international defence analysis firm IHS Jane’s said in July this year that India will spend $ 66.3 billion by 2020, ahead of Britain’s total defence spending.
HAL is the only company in India producing UAVs (Unmanned aerial vehicles) or drones.
With inputs from Agencies
