Urgent Call for Faster Indigenisation

Deputy Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Awadhesh Kumar Bharti, stressed at Aero Tech India 2025 that India’s defence sector must accelerate the pace of innovation and self-reliance. He cautioned against delays in transitioning from the concept stage to operational capability, warning that any lag could directly impact India’s national security readiness.

Critical Dependence On Imports

Air Marshal Bharti highlighted that even with 99% indigenous content, the remaining 1%—if critical and imported—could become a choke point. In times of crisis, denial of these imported supplies would cripple India’s ability to scale up production rapidly. He urged the defence ecosystem to shift from a “cruise setting” to an “afterburner mode” of innovation.

Indigenous Engine Roadmap

A central theme of his address was the importance of indigenous engine development. India is targeting domestic military jet engine production within the next 10–12 years. Bharti emphasized that this goal could only be realized with coordinated efforts between industry and the armed forces, underscoring that true strategic independence requires control over propulsion systems.

HAL And GE Collaboration

Currently, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is working closely with General Electric (GE) for the GE F404-IN20 engines powering the TEJAS MK-1 jets. By the end of FY2025, 12 of these engines are expected to be delivered. This reliance on foreign suppliers, though necessary in the short term, reinforces the urgency for indigenous alternatives.

Major Procurement of TEJAS MK-1A

The Ministry of Defence has recently signed a ₹62,370 crore contract with HAL for 97 additional TEJAS MK-1A aircraft, comprising 68 single-seat fighters and 29 twin-seat trainers. Deliveries will take place between 2027 and 2033, and the new order incorporates 64% indigenous content and 67 additional systems and components compared to earlier 2021 acquisitions. These new aircraft form part of the broader modernization plans of the Indian Air Force.

Pathway to TEJAS MK-2 And AMCA

Looking ahead, Bharti confirmed that the IAF has its eyes firmly on the TEJAS MK-2 and the fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme. These two future platforms are expected to form the backbone of India’s air defence in the coming decades. However, he acknowledged that until these aircraft mature, India must focus on filling immediate operational gaps.

Private Industry Partnerships

In parallel, the private sector is increasingly stepping into the national aerospace ecosystem. Companies such as Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) have teamed up to support the AMCA project. This collaboration marks a major step toward integrating India's private sector into advanced aerospace research, manufacturing, and systems integration, reducing over-reliance on the public sector alone.

Agencies