a new jet trainer to replace its fleet of BAE Hawk 127 trainer aircraft. According to HAL's "58th Annual Report" covering 2020–2021, HAL had offered the HAL Tejas in its "Lead in Fighter Trainer" (LIFT) configuration to Australia's Department of Defence (DoD) in July 2020. Other aircraft also reported to be participating in the tender are the Boeing-Saab T-7 Red Hawk, the Aermacchi M-346 Master and the KAI T-50. However, the Australian Government rejected a government to government deal proposed by the Indian government for 35 Tejas LIFT aircraft for US $1 billion. During bilateral defence talks held in September 2021, The Indian Express reported Australia's lack of interest in the offer. In February 2022, the Australian government decided to take up a proposal by BAE to upgrade and refurbish its Hawks with new engines and avionics, extending their lifespan until 2032. Egypt During the Dubai Airshow 2021, Egyptian officials expressed their interest in procuring 70 LCA Tejas to replace their 100 Chinese-made Hongdu JL-8 trainers. Following the Dubai Airshow 2021, HAL and Indian Air Force officials visited Cairo and discussions were going on. As of June 2022, India has offered to set up local production facilities for the LCA Tejas and also for the Light Utility and Light Combat Helicopters in Egypt. Malaysia Malaysia has frequently indicated that it may be interested in purchasing the HAL Tejas for the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), as part of its attempts to supplement its MiG-29 fleet; reports of Malaysian interest in procuring the aircraft date back to as early as 2019. In March 2019, the HAL Tejas made its international debut at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA); its presence reportedly generated a great deal of interest, especially amongst the RMAF and then-Malaysian PM Mahathir bin Mohamad. However, in mid-2019, HAL's prospects of exporting the HAL Tejas to Malaysia were severely blemished, owing to diplomatic tussles between India and Malaysia — most particularly Malaysia's contentious remarks over India's abrogation of Article 370 and India's retaliatory move of boycotting Malaysian-produced palm oil. The diplomatic skirmishes ceased in 2020, following Mahathir's resignation as PM and the restitution of the Indo-Malaysian palm oil trade. In 2021, an RMAF delegation reportedly visited HAL's manufacturing-facility at Bangalore to assess the suitability of the HAL Tejas, possibly in anticipation of a possible order — reaffirming Malaysia's interest in the aircraft. In June 2021, the RMAF