Tejas Mk-1A Delivery Delays Spark Government Frustration, HAL Faces Potential Penalties The Indian government has expressed growing frustration over the significant delays in delivering the Tejas Mk-1A light fighter jets to the Indian Air Force, with concerns mounting that Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) may face substantial financial penalties. The delays, which have stretched beyond two years, are attributed to the failure of American supplier General Electric (GE) Aerospace to deliver the F404 engines on time, a critical component for the aircraft’s operation. Under a 2021 contract, India had agreed to purchase 83 Tejas Mk-1A jets at a cost of approximately 45,696 crore rupees. The delivery was initially scheduled to begin in February 2024, but as of now, not a single jet has been handed over to the Air Force. Despite HAL having six engines and nearly 18 airframes ready, the company has failed to complete even a single delivery. According to defense ministry sources, the delay has exceeded two years and three months, raising concerns about the project’s viability. The root cause of the delay lies in GE’s inability to meet its contractual obligations. The company was contracted to supply 99 engines for the project, but it has only delivered six so far. While HAL claims that five light aircraft are fully assembled and ready, the lack of engines has prevented the completion of the jets. Experts suggest that the U.S. may be intentionally slowing down the engine supply to hinder India’s efforts to achieve self-reliance in defense manufacturing. This strategy, they argue, aims to keep India dependent on American technology for critical military equipment. The delay has already impacted the Air Force’s modernization plans, including the formation of new squadrons.#indian_government #indian_air_force #hindustan_aeronautics_limited #tejas_mk_1a #general_electric_ge_aerospace
