BENGALURU: Defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) said on Thursday that five LCA-Mk1A (Tejas-Mk1A) fighter aircraft are fully ready for delivery to the
Indian Air Force (IAF) and that nine more have already been built and flown, awaiting engines from General Electric.
In a statement aimed at addressing concerns over delays, HAL said the five aircraft incorporate all major contracted capabilities in line with agreed specifications. The additional nine jets will be prepared for handover once GE supplies the remaining engines.
The PSU said it has so far received five engines from GE and described the supply position as “positive”. Future deliveries from the American manufacturer, it said, are expected to match HAL’s production schedule, it added. HAL, as per existing timelines, is expected to deliver the five fighters by March 31.
The Tejas-Mk1A is an upgraded version of the Tejas fighter with improved avionics, radar and maintainability features.
The IAF has placed a large order for the aircraft to replace ageing MiG-21 squadrons and to strengthen domestic manufacturing capability. While an order for 83 Tejas was contracted in Feb 2021 for Rs 46,898 crore, IAF placed an order for another 97 Tejas contracted in Sept 2025 for Rs 66,500 crore.
HAL said it remained confident of meeting the delivery guidance projected for the current financial year. The company did not specify a revised timeline but indicated that progress would depend largely on the steady arrival of engines from GE.
In Nov 2025, HAL had entered into an agreement with GE for the supply of 113 F404-GE-IN20 engines and a support package for the execution of the 97 LCA-Mk1A contract with IAF.
HAL CMD DK Sunil told TOI at the time: “This is the most important contract we have signed. Engines have the most lead time. Unlike the previous time when we first ordered 40 and then the remaining in 2021, in between which the firm had stopped production, and there was also Covid…”
“...Keeping that in mind, we started negotiations even before we inked the 97 aircraft with IAF, and were able to close this deal so early. The supply under the new contract for 113 engines is expected to begin by 2027 and end by 2032. We don’t anticipate many delays,” he had added.
Chethan Kumar is a Senior Assistant Editor with the Times of Indi...
Read MoreChethan Kumar is a Senior Assistant Editor with the Times of India. Aside from specialising in Space & Science, he has reported extensively on varied topics, with special focus on defence, policy and data stories. He has covered multiple elections, too. As a young democracy grows out of adolescence, Chethan feels, there are reels of tales emerging which need to be captured. To do this, he alternates between the mundane goings-on of the Common Man and the wonder-filled worlds of scientists and scamsters, politicians and soldiers. In a career spanning nearly 18 years, he has reported from multiple datelines — Houston, Florida, Kochi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Sriharikota (AP), NH-1 (J&K Highway), New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Raichur, Bhatkal, Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, to name a few — but is based out of Bengaluru, India’s science capital that also hosts the ISRO HQ.
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