HAL to deliver first two Tejas Mark-1A fighter jets by September

State-run aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) is expected to deliver two Tejas Mark-1A fighter jets to the Indian Air Force (IAF) by the end of September, Defence Secretary R K Singh said on Saturday.

Singh confirmed that the long-delayed aircraft will be handed over with weapons integration, marking the first delivery under the Rs 48,000 crore deal signed in February 2021 for 83 Tejas Mk-1A jets. "Hopefully, the first two of those will be delivered with weapons integration by the end of September," Singh said while speaking at the NDTV Defence Summit. 

The IAF has already inducted around 38 Tejas jets, while another 80 are in the process of being manufactured. However, delays in the supply of aero engines from U.S. defence major GE Aerospace have slowed progress. Singh acknowledged that GE had missed multiple deadlines, holding up the production schedule.

Last week, the government approved the procurement of an additional 97 Tejas Mk-1A jets at an estimated cost of Rs 67,000 crore. Singh said the new contract with HAL would only be signed after the first two fighters from the earlier deal are delivered. "I have made it clear to HAL that we will sign this contract only after HAL delivers two Tejas featuring a complete package," he said.

The Defence Secretary noted that once the new contract is finalised, HAL will have an order book covering four to five years. He expressed confidence that HAL would "perfect this platform, integrate the radar and Indian weapons, so that it becomes a workhorse for us along with the Sukhoi."

At the same time, Singh admitted that the IAF still faces a significant shortfall in fighter strength, with only 31 operational squadrons compared to the sanctioned strength of 42. "There will still be a gap and for that gap we will have to look at some other options," he said, indicating that the government may explore additional platforms to augment the fleet.

The Tejas Mk-1A, a single-engine, multi-role fighter designed to replace the IAF's ageing MiG-21s, is capable of operating in high-threat air environments. The aircraft has been developed to perform a range of missions including air defence, strike operations, and maritime reconnaissance.