Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has indicated it expects to receive 20 additional F404‑IN20 turbofan engines from General Electric Aerospace by the latter half of 2026, providing a clear near‑term path for the TEJAS MK-1A production line.
HAL chairman and managing director Dr D K Sunil confirmed that GE has formally assured deliveries of these 20 engines between June and December 2026, calling the figure “pessimistic” and suggesting GE could potentially exceed this target.
At present, HAL is reported to have received five F404 engines, with a sixth unit already ready for pickup and expected to be inducted by the end of April 2026.
Sunil noted that this will allow six TEJAS MK-1A airframes to be fitted with CAT‑A engines by month‑end, easing the backlog of “glider” aircraft parked at the Nashik facility. The earlier shortage of engines had been a major brake on the rate of TEJAS MK-1A deliveries to the Indian Air Force, despite multiple production‑line clearances.
The pipeline of 20 engines in second-half of 2026 is part of a broader effort to stabilise annual F404‑IN20 deliveries to HAL. Industry reports suggest the target is to secure 24 engines during the 2026–27 financial year and then move towards a steady‑state rate of around 30 engines per year beginning in 2027–28.
This ramp‑up would help clear the outstanding TEJAS MK-1A order‑book and align better with the IAF’s requirement to replace retiring MiG‑21s and sustain projected squadron strength.
Underlying the new schedule are ongoing contractual mechanisms, including penalties for further delays, which both sides have acknowledged in recent discussions.
Sunil has also highlighted that GE’s own production line is now prepared, and the main constraint has shifted to component‑level supply‑chain issues rather than core‑engine manufacturing.
For the Indian side, the additional 20 engines by late 2026 are seen as the first solid step towards a more predictable and higher‑rate supply pattern that the TEJAS MK-1A programme will need in the medium term.
IDN (With Agency Inputs)
