India’s HAL Says Five Tejas Mk1A Fighters Ready for Delivery

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on Thursday said five Tejas Mk1A fighter jets are fully ready for delivery to the Indian Air Force, rejecting earlier media reports that induction of the aircraft is facing fresh delays.

In a statement, HAL said the five aircraft incorporate “major contracted capabilities in accordance with the agreed specifications” and can be handed over to the Air Force once the delivery process is cleared. Nine more Tejas Mk1A aircraft have already been built and flown, but are awaiting engines from GE Aerospace before they can be made ready for delivery.

“HAL confirms that five aircraft are fully ready for delivery,” the company said, adding that it has so far received five engines from GE. “The supply position from GE is positive, and the future delivery outlook aligns with HAL’s delivery plans.”

HAL said it is in active discussions with the Indian Air Force (IAF) to deliver the aircraft at the earliest, while addressing all identified design and development issues in an expedited manner. Induction of the jets remains subject to final certification by the IAF after performance evaluations, including checks on avionics integration, the electronic warfare suite, and the AESA radar.

The clarification follows reports suggesting that deliveries could slip beyond May due to pending system integration and certification, as well as delays in supplies of critical components from foreign vendors. Some aircraft were originally expected to be delivered last year, but the IAF insisted on receiving them only in a fully operational configuration.

HAL currently has an annual fighter aircraft production capacity of 24 aircraft. At this rate, completion of the Indian Air Force’s total order of 180 Tejas Mk1A jets is expected to extend into the early 2030s. Beyond these orders, the Air Force has already inducted 40 earlier Tejas Mk1 aircraft, taking the total number of contracted Tejas variants to 220.

The company said it expects to meet its financial guidance for the current fiscal year, even as it advances other programmes such as the Tejas Mk2, the Indian Multi Role Helicopter, and the Combat Air Teaming System, which are planned to enter production after 2032.