Bengaluru: India has finalised a $1 billion agreement with US aerospace company General Electric (GE) for the supply of 113 jet engines to power the indigenous Tejas Mark-1A fighter aircraft, marking a major boost for the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) modernisation efforts.
Under the deal, GE will deliver the F404 engines between 2027 and 2032 to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), which manufactures the Tejas aircraft. The agreement follows an earlier 2021 order for 99 engines and aims to ensure uninterrupted production as HAL ramps up deliveries of the upgraded fighters.
The deliveries will begin with an initial batch of ten engines to support early production. HAL plans to increase Tejas output from 20 to 24–30 aircraft per year once the new production line at Nashik becomes fully operational.
The Tejas Mark-1A program has faced delays due to engine shortages, but the new deal secures a steady supply for the next phase of production. HAL has already completed 11 Tejas Mark-1A aircraft, four of which are equipped with the GE-F404 engine. The remaining units are in advanced stages of assembly and testing at HAL’s Bengaluru facility.
Certification trials for the first production batch are underway, with the first ten aircraft expected to be delivered to the IAF by March next year. Alongside the engine deliveries, HAL is integrating modern weapon and radar systems, including Astra beyond-visual-range missiles, ASRAAM short-range missiles, and the Elta ELM-2052 multi-mode radar, to enhance the jet’s combat performance.
The acquisition of 113 GE-F404 engines is viewed as a strategic step towards strengthening the IAF’s fleet. At present, the Air Force operates 29 fighter squadrons against the sanctioned strength of 42.5, leaving a significant shortfall in operational capability. The addition of over 180 Tejas Mark-1A aircraft, supported by the new engines, will help bridge this gap and bolster India’s defence preparedness.
The expansion comes at a crucial time as regional security challenges intensify, with neighbouring countries maintaining larger and more advanced air fleets. India’s efforts to accelerate indigenous production and secure critical components like engines are central to maintaining a credible deterrence posture.
Beyond the Mark-1A program, HAL and GE are also advancing discussions for co-producing the more powerful GE-F414 engines that will power the next-generation Tejas Mark-2 fighters.
The new $1 billion engine deal is expected to significantly enhance HAL’s production capacity and ensure that the IAF’s modernisation plans stay on schedule, reinforcing India’s long-term goal of achieving self-reliance in defence manufacturing.
BI Bureau
