Indian Air Force chief slams delay in delivery of Tejas aircraft

Indian Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, Chief of the Air Staff expressed concerns regarding the delayed delivery of the indigenous Tejas fighter aircraft.

He emphasised the critical need for increased private sector participation in India’s defence production to ensure greater efficiency and meet the operational requirements of the Indian Air Force (IAF).

The Tejas program, managed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), has faced multiple delays, impacting the IAF’s modernization timeline.

Initially, the first prototype of the Tejas Mk2 variant was expected to be delivered by December 2023, with a maiden flight scheduled for 2024.

However, recent updates indicate that the rollout of the aircraft has been rescheduled for late 2026 or early 2027, with the first test flight now expected in 2028. This delay has raised concerns about the IAF’s ability to meet its modernization goals in a timely manner.

In his speech, Air Chief Marshal Singh underscored the importance of bringing more private players into defence production to foster competition, which would help ensure adherence to timelines and improve quality standards.

“We need to have more private players in production so that companies would have a fear of losing the tender,” he remarked, emphasising how competition could accelerate deliveries and enhance technological advancements in the sector.