Indian Defense
Date of Event:
Jun 30, 2025
The delay in delivery of the F404 engines has been a point of contention, with Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal A P Singh publicly raising concerns over the slippage in HAL's Tejas Mk-1A production schedule.
The Indian Air Force will receive at least six Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) by March 2026, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Chairman and Managing Director D K Sunil has confirmed, attributing delays in delivery to the U.S.-based engine supplier GE Aerospace.
"Unfortunately, in the case of LCA Mark 1A, we have built the aircraft. As of today, we have six aircraft lined up," Sunil said in an interview to PTI Videos. "But the engine deliveries have not happened from GE Aerospace. They were to deliver the engines in 2023. Till date, we have got only one engine."
The delay in delivery of the F404 engines has been a point of contention, with Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal A P Singh publicly raising concerns over the slippage in HAL's Tejas Mk-1A production schedule.
According to Sunil, the production hold-up at GE Aerospace began during the Covid pandemic and was further impacted by the exit of senior engineers, causing supply chain bottlenecks.
"Every company goes through its fair share of criticisms. It does happen," Sunil noted. "I can assure you that as of today, six aircraft are ready. There is no let-up from our side. We are building those aircraft and getting them ready and we will be in a position to deliver (by this fiscal)."
He added that GE Aerospace is expected to supply 12 engines in the current financial year, which will allow HAL to proceed with deliveries. HAL plans to produce 16 Tejas Mk-1A jets in the following year, contingent on a steady engine supply.
In February 2021, the Defence Ministry signed a Rs 48,000 crore contract with HAL for 83 Tejas Mk-1A jets. The government is also in the process of acquiring an additional 97 aircraft for approximately Rs 67,000 crore. These indigenous jets are expected to replace the ageing MiG-21 fighters, helping the IAF bolster its current squadron strength, which has dropped to 31 against the sanctioned 42.
The Tejas is a single-engine, multi-role fighter designed for air defence, maritime reconnaissance, and strike missions. Sunil described the Mk-1A variant as "a world-class aircraft comprising a high-quality radar, electronic warfare suites, and an array of missiles." He added, "It has got a full complement of avionics and weapons which make the aircraft a very potent platform. It will be very good for our Air Force."
On the export front, Sunil said multiple countries have shown interest in the Tejas and discussions are ongoing. "We are talking to many countries on Tejas. I hope we will have a breakthrough soon."
