Bengaluru: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has announced that five Tejas MK1A fighter jets are ready for delivery to the Indian Air Force, marking a breakthrough after years of delays that had strained relations between the state-owned manufacturer and the country's military leadership.

HAL Chairman and Managing Director Dr D.K. Sunil confirmed the development, stating that the aircraft has completed critical firing and missile trials. "We have completed the firing trials. So I think we are on a good footing now and we will approach the Indian Air Force to take these five aircraft in this financial year," Dr Sunil said.

Breaking the Engine Bottleneck

The delays in delivering the indigenous light combat aircraft stemmed primarily from supply chain issues with GE Aerospace, which manufactures the F404-IN20 engines that power the jets. Engine deliveries had slowed to just one or two per month, throttling HAL's production capabilities.

That situation has now improved. GE Aerospace has committed to supply 20 F404 engines annually starting from the 2026-27 financial year, with an initial batch of five engines scheduled for delivery before March 2026. HAL has fitted engines on all five completed aircraft and expects to hand them over within the current financial year, which ends in March.

Filling a Critical Gap

The jets arrive at a time when the IAF faces its lowest squadron strength in six decades. Following the retirement of the MiG-21 fleet in September 2025, the air force is operating just 29 fighter squadrons against a sanctioned strength of 42.

Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh had publicly criticised HAL at Aero India 2025 for failing to meet delivery timelines. "I have no confidence in HAL's ability to meet the Indian Air Force's critical requirements," he said at the time, expressing frustration over the manufacturer's "ho jayega" (it will happen) approach.

The Tejas MK1A represents an upgrade over earlier variants, featuring an EL/M-2052 active electronically scanned array radar, an advanced electronic warfare suite, and air-to-air refuelling capability. The IAF has placed orders totalling 180 aircraft through two separate contracts valued at approximately ₹48,000 crore and ₹62,370 crore, respectively.

Path Forward

HAL operates three production lines for the Tejas, two in Bengaluru and one in Nashik, with a target of producing 24 aircraft annually by fiscal year 2026-27. The manufacturer expects to deliver 83 contracted jets by 2029, with the additional 97 aircraft order beginning deliveries in 2027-28.

Meanwhile, HAL is also progressing on the more advanced Tejas MK2, with prototype rollout expected in 2026. "We are building the foundation for India's future in aerospace," Dr Sunil said. "HAL's growth is the country's growth".