General Electric’s delay in supplying F-404 jet engines has slowed down the production schedule of the indigenous TEJAS MK-1A fighter jets at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), causing concerns over timely handovers to the Indian Air Force (IAF). A GE spokesperson, when asked about the delayed deliveries, maintained that the company is “tracking to the latest schedule shared with HAL.” At present, HAL has assembled two TEJAS MK-1A aircraft fitted with the available GE engines, which are undergoing weapon trials.
One of these fighters has been stationed at HAL’s newly commissioned Nashik facility and is expected to be delivered to the IAF within the next couple of months. The F-404 engine deliveries are a critical component of the ₹45,000 crore deal signed in 2021 between the Defence Ministry and HAL for 83 MK-1A fighters.
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Engine delays stem from GE’s need to restart the F-404 production line, which had gone dormant after completing the previous order of 65 engines for India in 2016.
HAL’s fresh order for 99 additional F-404s in 2021 required the line’s reactivation, a process which has run into bottlenecks, impacting limited supplies.
Meanwhile, an even bigger procurement track is underway: India is deep in commercial negotiations with GE for the more powerful F-414 engines, earmarked for the TEJAS MK-2 and the fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). A high-level Indian delegation is scheduled to visit the U.S. later this month to hold discussions, with both sides exploring the conclusion of a formal agreement by 2026.
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Projected timeline-style table mapping TEJAS MK-1A production against GE engine deliveries and planned milestones up to 2032:
TEJAS MK-1A Production Vs Engine Delivery Timeline
| Year | GE Engine Delivery Status (F-404) | HAL Production & Delivery Milestones | Program Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 65 engines delivered (previous order complete) | Supported initial TEJAS fleet | F-404 production line shut after this batch |
| 2021 | HAL placed fresh order for 99 F-404 engines | Cabinet clears ₹45,000 cr contract for 83 MK-1A | Restart of F-404 line initiated at GE |
| 2022–23 | Production line restart phase, minimal deliveries | Initial assembly prep for MK-1A | Supply chain reactivation delays |
| 2024 | Few engines delivered as line ramps up | Two MK-1As assembled and undergoing flight & weapon trials | Nashik factory inaugurated for new production line |
| 2025 | Engine deliveries lagging full schedule | One MK-1A expected delivered to IAF by year-end | HAL dependent on incremental flow of engines |
| 2026 | Engine deliveries expected to stabilise | HAL ramps up annual output to ~12–16 fighters | IAF expected to receive larger batches if engines steady |
| 2027–28 | Continued F-404 deliveries toward completing 83-aircraft order | HAL throughput increases, aligning with Nashik+Bengaluru facilities | Parallel negotiations advance for F-414 |
| 2029 | Final batch of F-404 deliveries for 83-aircraft order completed | Near completion of initial MK-1A contract | Focus shifts to expanded 97-aircraft order |
| 2030–31 | New deliveries of F-404 for additional 97 MK-1A aircraft | HAL scales to meet cumulative ~180 aircraft target | IAF fleet expansion milestones |
| 2032 | Steady state of engine supply maintained | HAL completes delivery of ~180 MK-1A aircraft | Mk-2 and AMCA development depend on F-414 deal finalisation |
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This timeline assumes GE stabilizes its F-404 supply chain by 2026, enabling HAL to meet the delivery target of 180 TEJAS MK-2 by 2031–32. Parallel F-414 negotiations remain critical for future TEJAS MK-2 and AMCA programs.
The production demand for F-404 engines is expected to grow further as the Union Cabinet has cleared an additional order for 97 TEJAS MK-1A fighters, nearly doubling HAL’s manufacturing target. However, fresh engine supplies for the expanded order will only start after deliveries for the 83-aircraft fleet are complete.
HAL officials stressed that steady and uninterrupted engine supply remains essential to sustain the planned delivery rate and meet the target of handing over 180 aircraft to the IAF by 2031–32.
The delays highlight the critical dependence of India’s fighter jet building programme on U.S. engine technology and underline the urgency of finalising the F-414 negotiations for the next generation of indigenous combat aircraft.
IDN (With Agency Inputs)
Agency
