New Delhi: Expectations of early delivery of Indian Air Force’s indigenous fighter jet Tejas Mk1A now seem to be increasing. GE Aerospace has shipped four more F404-IN20 engines to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in September 2026. With this the number of engines sent so far for the Tejas Mk1A program has reached 14. It is believed that if the supply of about four engines continues every month, this may give impetus to the production program of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
Now four engines will be available every month
Most importantly, about four F404-IN20 engines are now expected to be delivered every month. If this supply continues at this pace, then HAL’s Tejas Mk1A production program can get a big boost. In fact, the supply of F404-IN20 engine has been a big challenge in the Tejas Mk1A program for a long time. Delays in engine availability have also impacted aircraft production and delivery schedules. In such a situation, regular engine supply is very important for HAL.
Delay in engine supply affecting production
HAL’s production schedule was also affected due to delay in engine supply. Now GE has taken steps towards increasing its supply capacity and shipped four more engines in September. This is important for HAL because availability of engines is a vital requirement in the production of aircraft. The resumption of regular engine supply could help in faster production of finished airframes.
The Indian Air Force currently has two operational squadrons of Tejas, No. 45 Squadron ‘Flying Daggers’ and No. 18 Squadron ‘Flying Bullets’. The first major production program of Tejas was for 40 aircraft, 20 in IOC and 20 FOC configurations, which has now been completed.
First big order of 83 Tejas Mk1A
The Indian Air Force had ordered 83 Tejas Mk1A aircraft in 2021 under a deal worth about Rs 48,000 crore. These include 73 single-seat fighters and 10 twin-seat trainer aircraft. Their deliveries were planned to begin from March 2024, but the schedule was affected due to engine supply and other certification related delays. A total of 99 F404-IN20 engines were contracted for this 83 aircraft programme. HAL’s production schedule remained under pressure due to delays in engine supplies.
97 more Mk1A aircraft also ordered
After this, in September 2025, the Indian Air Force signed a second big contract for 97 more Tejas Mk1A aircraft. The deal, worth around Rs 62,370 crore, includes 68 single-seat fighter and 29 twin-seat trainer aircraft. Their delivery is planned to be completed in six years starting from 2027-28. By combining both the contracts, there is a plan to produce a total of 180 Tejas Mk1A aircraft for the Indian Air Force. In such a situation, regular availability of engines is very important for the speed of this entire program.
Two squadrons of Tejas operational
The Indian Air Force currently has two operational squadrons of Tejas-No. 45 Squadron ‘Flying Daggers’ and No. 18 Squadron ‘Flying Bullets’. The first production program of 40 aircraft of Tejas Mk1 has also been completed, which included 20 IOC and 20 FOC configuration aircraft.
Now the eye is on the larger Mk1A program with 180 aircraft. If deliveries of F404-IN20 engines from GE Aerospace continue at a pace of about four per month, this will provide stability to HAL’s production planning and is expected to speed up the delivery process for the Mk1A.
Also keep an eye on Tejas Mk2
Along with Mk1A, the next big focus of HAL and DRDO is on Tejas Mk2. It is a larger and more capable medium-weight fighter program than the Mk1A, but is currently in the development phase. But Mk2 is still in the development phase. If there is further delay in its timeline, then discussion may continue on alternative options for the fighter fleet requirement of the Air Force.
At present, no formal decision has been taken regarding options like Rafale or Russian Su-57. Therefore, the immediate priority is to increase engine supply and HAL’s production capacity in the Tejas Mk1A programme.
SK Sharma is a content writer who writes on news, entertainment, and lifestyle topics. She has over four years of experience and is known for conveying information in simple and clear language.
