Indian Air Force (IAF) chief AP Singh’s sharp criticism of the lackadaisical approach of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) reflects growing frustration over inordinate delays in the delivery of indigenous weapon systems by public sector defence manufacturers in the country. The IAF chief has flagged the tardy pace of manufacturing the ‘TEJAS’ fighters and rightly raised questions over HAL’s professionalism and its commitment to meet the timelines.

Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief A. P. Singh has strong criticism against HAL for the extensive delays in delivering the TEJAS MK-1A. These remarks, captured on camera during Aero India 2025 in Bangalore, have sparked concerns regarding the progress of India's indigenous fighter jet program.

Air Chief Marshal Singh has expressed growing frustration with HAL's inability to meet initially promised deadlines. He highlighted that despite assurances made during a visit to HAL in February 2025 that 11 TEJAS MK-1A aircraft would be ready, not a single aircraft has been delivered.

Singh criticised HAL for not being in "mission mode," emphasising the failure to address critical timelines. He noted that HAL appeared to be lacking the urgency necessary to meet the needs of the IAF.

Though HAL had promised to deliver 11 TEJAS MK-1A fighters last month, not a single combat aircraft is ready and the weapons firing trials are yet to be completed. This is a matter of serious concern for the armed forces in light of the challenging geopolitical environment. The Defence Ministry needs to take note of the frustration voiced by the Air Chief who called for drastic change in the work culture and wondered whether a magic wand was needed to see that everything gets aligned. The public sector aerospace and defence company is pursuing two major contracts — 97 TEJAS and 156 Light Combat Helicopters (Prachanda).

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is facing a critical shortfall in its fighter squadron strength, which has declined to 31 against a sanctioned strength of 42, due to the phasing out of older aircraft like MiG-21s, MiG-23s, and MiG-27s. This has led to concerns about India's ability to secure its security interests, especially considering the rapid modernization of China's air force and Pakistan's plans to acquire advanced fighter jets.

To address this issue, India is pursuing long-term solutions, including the induction of Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) and HAL TEJAS MK-1A, as well as the development of TEJAS MK-2 and Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) projects. However, these projects are facing delays, which has prompted the need for immediate measures.

Addressing The Shortfall

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence has urged the Defence Ministry to sensitise HAL to augment the production of TEJAS to avoid affecting the Air Force's operational role due to the depletion in squadron strength.

There is an urgent need for an increased role for private partnerships in developing defence products.

Some experts suggest fast-tracking the development and induction of the TEJAS MK-2 to compensate for the delays in the AMCA program.

Efforts are underway to resolve supply chain issues affecting the delivery of engines from US manufacturer General Electric, with a streamlined supply expected by 2025-26. HAL is expected to start delivering TEJAS MK-1A to IAF by the end of 2025.

India's Ministry of Defence (MoD) has announced the formation of a high-level committee to address the shortages in the Indian Air Force (IAF). The committee is expected to suggest solutions, including accelerating indigenous production and selectively inviting foreign collaborations.

Other Criticism

Singh also raised concerns about the TEJAS aircraft displayed at the Aero India show, stating that they were not genuine MK-1A versions. He clarified that the MK-1A designation requires more than just cosmetic changes or software updates, emphasising the need for weapon integration and enhanced capabilities.

HAL's Response

HAL has acknowledged the delays, attributing them to technical issues rather than negligence. Chairman and Managing Director D. K. Sunil stated that the company is making diligent efforts to resolve these issues and remains confident in delivering at least 11 TEJAS MK-1A aircraft to the IAF by the end of March 2025.

D. K. Sunil also addressed the broader context of HAL’s progress, explaining that the company’s ability to deliver cutting-edge aircraft like the TEJAS had been significantly affected by historical challenges such as the sanctions imposed on India following the 1998 nuclear tests.

According to HAL, the delays in handing over the first TEJAS MK-1Afighter jet are due to the complex integration and testing requirements for the ELTA ELM-2052 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, developed by Israel’s ELTA Systems, and last-minute software configuration changes requested by the IAF.

Impact on IAF: The delays are a matter of serious concern for the armed forces, especially given the challenging geopolitical environment and the declining squadron strength of the IAF. Against a sanctioned strength of 42 fighter squadrons, the IAF is operating with only 31, at least on paper.

HAL's Perspective: HAL has been dealing with constant changes and a low volume production run, which has made it difficult to run the whole setup fast.

The TEJAS MK-1A has garnered attention for its enhanced payload capacity and advanced weapons integration, which will allow it to carry a variety of air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions, including India’s indigenous Astra and Python missiles, as well as precision-guided bombs. The aircraft includes modern avionics like an AESA radar, improved electronic warfare systems, and enhanced manoeuvrability.

The IAF has contracted 83 TEJAS MK-1A aircraft at a cost of ₹36,468 crore.