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.

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.

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

YearGE Engine Delivery Status (F-404)HAL Production & Delivery MilestonesProgram Notes
201665 engines delivered (previous order complete)Supported initial TEJAS fleetF-404 production line shut after this batch
2021HAL placed fresh order for 99 F-404 enginesCabinet clears ₹45,000 cr contract for 83 MK-1ARestart of F-404 line initiated at GE
2022–23Production line restart phase, minimal deliveriesInitial assembly prep for MK-1ASupply chain reactivation delays
2024Few engines delivered as line ramps upTwo MK-1As assembled and undergoing flight & weapon trialsNashik factory inaugurated for new production line
2025Engine deliveries lagging full scheduleOne MK-1A expected delivered to IAF by year-endHAL dependent on incremental flow of engines
2026Engine deliveries expected to stabiliseHAL ramps up annual output to ~12–16 fightersIAF expected to receive larger batches if engines steady
2027–28Continued F-404 deliveries toward completing 83-aircraft orderHAL throughput increases, aligning with Nashik+Bengaluru facilitiesParallel negotiations advance for F-414
2029Final batch of F-404 deliveries for 83-aircraft order completedNear completion of initial MK-1A contractFocus shifts to expanded 97-aircraft order
2030–31New deliveries of F-404 for additional 97 MK-1A aircraftHAL scales to meet cumulative ~180 aircraft targetIAF fleet expansion milestones
2032Steady state of engine supply maintainedHAL completes delivery of ~180 MK-1A aircraftMk-2 and AMCA development depend on F-414 deal finalisation

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)