HAL chief reveals reason behind delay in Tejas aircraft delivery: 'Jets ready but...'

The much-awaited Tejas Mk-1A fighter jets, meant for the Indian Air Force (IAF), are facing delays. These advanced jets are being developed to replace the ageing MiG-21 aircraft. However, the delay in engine supply from American company GE Aerospace is holding back their delivery, affecting the IAF’s operational readiness. According to officials, the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), which is responsible for producing the Tejas Mk-1A jets, has already completed building several aircraft. However, the lack of engines means these jets cannot be used yet. HAL Chairman and Managing Director D.K. Sunil shared that the delay is entirely due to GE Aerospace’s failure to supply the F404 engines on time.

He said, "Every company faces criticism at some point. Unfortunately, in the case of LCA Mk-1A, the same thing has happened. We have already built six aircraft, but the engines have not been delivered. GE was supposed to supply the engines in 2023, but till now, we have received only one."

Why is there a delay?
The delay in engine delivery began during the COVID-19 pandemic when production across the globe was affected. Later, GE also lost several senior engineers, which caused further disruptions in their supply chain. As per Sunil, most of the technical problems have now been resolved. HAL is now expecting to receive 12 jet engines by March 2026.

Despite the challenges, HAL has planned to produce 16 Tejas jets in the coming year, provided the engine supply from GE becomes regular and smooth.

The Indian Air Force has already expressed its concern over the delay. Recently, Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh raised the issue, which brought further attention to the matter.

Back in February 2021, the Ministry of Defence signed a Rs 48,000 crore deal with HAL to procure 83 Tejas Mk-1A jets. Additionally, plans are underway to buy 97 more jets at an estimated cost of Rs 67,000 crore. However, timely engine delivery remains the key to achieving these goals.

The delay is not just a matter of production—it directly affects the Indian Air Force’s preparedness and reliance on older, less reliable aircraft.