Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Chairman and Managing Director Dr DK Sunil says US-based General Electric (GE) is back on track to meet engine commitments for India’s indigenous Tejas fighter programme.
“They (GE) had promised us 12 engines in a year, but perhaps now we will get 12 engines by the end of the financial year. This year, we may get 10. We will get the remaining by March,” Sunil told reporters.
He added that HAL has already built the 10th Tejas aircraft and the 11th is ready for rollout, with GE resolving supply chain bottlenecks. “The basic problems are done, and now the production will ramp up. Next year, they have promised us 20 engines,” Sunil said, noting that communication with GE’s top management had improved significantly.
Record-breaking Rs 62,370 crore Tejas order
On September 25, the Ministry of Defence signed a Rs 62,370 crore contract with HAL to procure 97 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk-1A jets for the Indian Air Force (IAF). The order includes 68 single-seat fighters and 29 twin-seaters, along with associated equipment.
This is the largest-ever order for the Tejas platform, surpassing the Rs 46,898 crore contract signed in January 2021 for 83 Mk-1A jets. Deliveries of the newly ordered aircraft are set to begin in 2027–28 and will be completed over six years.
Indigenous content takes centre stage
The upgraded Mk-1A variant will feature over 64 percent indigenous content, with 67 new items compared to the earlier version. Key enhancements include:
- UTTAM AESA Radar for advanced targeting and surveillance
- Swayam Raksha Kavach electronic warfare suite for enhanced survivability
- Indigenous control surface actuators to strengthen combat readiness
These upgrades are designed to push the Tejas closer to cutting-edge fighter standards while reducing dependence on imported subsystems.
Economic and ecosystem boost
The massive programme will energise India’s defence industrial base. Nearly 105 Indian companies are expected to be part of HAL’s supply chain for the Tejas, supporting component manufacturing.
Production will generate an estimated 11,750 direct and indirect jobs annually during the six-year production cycle, delivering a major employment boost alongside strategic benefits.
Aatmanirbhar push
The acquisition falls under the ‘Buy (India-IDDM)’ category of the Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020, making it a flagship of the government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
The Tejas Mk-1A, the most advanced variant of India’s homegrown fighter, is expected to significantly enhance the IAF’s operational capabilities, while reinforcing India’s ambition to reduce reliance on imported defence equipment.
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