The HAL TEJAS, India’s indigenous light combat fighter, has faced a protracted journey since its conceptualisation in the early 1980s, often sensationalised as being "stuck on the ground for 33 years".

This narrative stems from the project’s sanction in 1983 to replace ageing MiG-21s, yet full operational capability remains elusive even in 2026. While the aircraft achieved its first flight in 2001 and initial operational clearance by 2015, persistent delays in production, engine integration, and avionics have fuelled perceptions of stagnation.

Development began under the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) as the manufacturing partner, aiming for a lightweight, multi-role delta-wing jet. Sanctions following India’s 1998 nuclear tests severely disrupted foreign collaborations, forcing indigenous redesigns of critical systems like flight controls and radar.

The project’s initial ₹560 crore budget ballooned to over ₹13,000 crore by 2015, exacerbated by import dependencies for over a third of components, including GE F404 engines.

Engine woes have been central to the delays. Lacking an indigenous powerplant, TEJAS relies on imported F404-IN20 units, with the more powerful F414 for MK-2 variants still years away from full indigenisation.

Supply chain bottlenecks from GE have hamstrung production; as of early 2026, TEJAS MK-1A remains tethered to foreign engines for decades, despite urgent Indian Air Force (IAF) needs amid squadron shortages.

Weight creep plagued early prototypes, pushing the jet beyond design limits and necessitating structural redesigns. The landing gear, described as over-engineered, emerged as a recent flashpoint: in late 2024, the entire IAF TEJAS fleet—along with prototypes and naval variants—was grounded after gear failures in Bangalore and Jaisalmer. HAL identified the snag, leading to a redesign that aligns with MK-1A upgrades, including a lighter undercarriage shedding up to 800 kg.

India's HAL TEJAS took approximately 30 years from project sanction in 1985 to initial operational clearance in 2015. Other global fighter jets typically had shorter gestation periods, measured from key project approval or start to first operational service.

Fighter JetStart YearOperational YearPeriod (Years)
HAL TEJAS (India)1985201530
F-16 (USA)197519805
F-15 Eagle (USA)196919745
F/A-18 Hornet (USA)197519838
F-22 Raptor (USA)1986200519
F-35 Lightning-II (USA)1995201520
Eurofighter Typhoon1984200319
Dassault Rafale (France)1986200115
Saab Gripen (Sweden)1982199614
Su-27 Flanker (USSR)197619859
MiG-29 Fulcrum (USSR)197719836

Periods are approximate, using consistent milestones like government approval to initial service entry; exact definitions vary slightly by program. Tejas faced unique delays due to technology challenges and funding issues.

A high-profile crash at the 2025 Dubai Air Show amplified scrutiny, with the TEJAS prototype suffering a catastrophic failure during a display, raising alarms over reliability and quality control. Videos and analyses highlighted issues like underpowered performance, avionics glitches, and weapons integration shortfalls, contrasting TEJAS with rivals like Pakistan’s JF-17 and China’s J-10C, which boast mature deployments.

The Comptroller and Auditor General’s 2015 report flagged 53 significant shortfalls compromising combat survivability, from limited range (around 400 km combat radius) to inadequate weapon loads compared to heavier jets like Rafale or Su-30MKI. TEJAS excels in agility and cost (projected cheaper long-term than imports), but its light category limits deep-strike roles against peer adversaries.

Production rates at HAL have lagged critically. The first squadron, No. 45 "Flying Daggers", formed in 2016 with initial operational clearance jets, but scaling to 20 aircraft per squadron by 2018 proved optimistic. By 2026, fewer than 50 TEJAS Mk1/MK-1A units serve in IAF squadrons, far short of the 83 needed to phase out MiG-21s, amid bureaucratic hurdles and skill gaps in maintenance.

Geopolitical pressures compound the saga. With China and Pakistan modernising air forces rapidly, India’s "Atmanirbhar Bharat" push for self-reliance hinges on TEJAS success, yet export ambitions—to nations like Argentina, Egypt, and Malaysia—withered post-crash due to doubts over maturity. The IAF’s 2024 grounding underscored that technical glitches are routine even in advanced programmes like the F-35, framing it as a rectifiable step rather than collapse.

Future variants offer redemption. TEJAS MK-1A integrates Israeli ELTA AESA radar, digital fly-by-wire enhancements, and reduced weight for better thrust-to-weight ratios. MK-2, with GE F414 engines and increased payload, targets medium-weight roles, while the naval TEJAS LSP variant adapts for carrier operations. However, timelines slip: MK-1A deliveries crawl, and MK-2 first flight is postponed beyond 2027.

HAL’s production ramp-up, bolstered by private sector partnerships under Tata and others, aims for 16-24 jets annually, but legacy issues like specialised tooling persist. DRDO’s leadership, including former chief Vijay Kumar Saraswat, attributes delays to external blocks like the Missile Technology Control Regime, now eased with India’s membership.

In defence of the program, TEJAS embodies hard-won technological sovereignty. Amid global supply disruptions, its 4.5-generation features—relaxed stability fly-by-wire, composite airframe (45% by weight), and multi-role versatility—position it as a viable MiG-21 successor. Groundings and crashes, while embarrassing, drive iterative fixes, mirroring global norms.

Critics argue bureaucratic overreach and IAF’s late involvement (post-2006) inflated costs by ₹20,000 crore in interim upgrades. Yet, with President Trump’s administration eyeing Indo-Pacific alliances, TEJAS could pivot to co-production deals, offsetting delays.

Ultimately, TEJAS is not "stuck"—it flies operationally, albeit encumbered. Resolving engine independence and production scale will determine if India’s aerospace ambitions soar or sputter. The next 33 years demand swifter execution to match the jet’s radiant promise.
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IDN (With Agency Inputs)