Boost for Defence: India Signs Deal for 113 Jet Engines for Tejas Fleet
In a landmark contract, India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) inks a USD 1 billion agreement with GE Aerospace for 113 F404-series engines, powering the home-grown Tejas Mk 1A fighters and marking a key step in modernising the Indian Air Force’s fleet.
At dawn on 7 November 2025, in Bengaluru, a sense of relief rippled through India’s defence industrial ecosystem. Major General (Retd) R K Kotari, an IAF veteran, quietly remarked: “It may seem a contract on paper—but this closes a painful loop of delay and uncertainty.” What he referred to was the announcement that HAL had signed a deal with GE Aerospace to supply 113 F404-GE-IN20 jet engines for the Tejas Mk 1A programme, with deliveries beginning in 2027 and completion by 2032. Upstox – Online Stock and Share Trading+4India Today+4mint+4
For India’s air power ambitions, this is more than a procurement milestone—it is a signal of resolve in a moment when squadron strength, indigenous manufacturing and strategic supply-chains are all under strain. As the Indian Air Force (IAF) scrambles to reverse the decline in its fighter-squadron count, the deal offers a much-needed lifeline. But it also surfaces a range of questions—on timelines, supply-chain risk, self-reliance and geopolitical dependency. This feature examines how the deal came about, what it means, and the road ahead.
Modernising the Fleet: Why the Urgency?
India’s air-defence calculus has grown increasingly fraught in recent years. The IAF officially operates around 29 fighter squadrons against an authorised strength of 42. AP News+1 With older types like the MiG-21 phased out on 26 September 2025, the pressure on new aircraft induction has intensified. AP News
The Tejas Mk 1A—developed by HAL in Bengaluru—represents India’s attempt to field an indigenous light combat aircraft (LCA) suited to air-defence, maritime strike and reconnaissance missions. A contract for 97 Tejas Mk 1A aircraft was signed in September 2025 for approximately ₹62,370 crore (~US$7 billion) with HAL. Reuters+2India Today+2
Yet, even as the air-frame contract was formalised, the engine supply chain had become a critical bottleneck. India’s 2021 agreement with GE for 99 engines had seen only four deliveries by late 2025. India Today+1 In this context, the new 113-engine order is a pressing corrective.
The Engine Deal: What’s on the Table?
According to official statements:
HAL signed an agreement with GE Aerospace on 7 November 2025 for 113 units of F404-GE-IN20 engines and a support package for the Mk 1A programme. Hindustan Times+1
Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2027, and are to be completed by 2032. India Today+1
The deal is estimated at about US$1 billion (~₹8,870 crore). mint+1
The engines are to power the Tejas Mk 1A variant, for which India’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) has placed the 97-aircraft contract. India Today+1
These facts raise several strategic dimensions:
Why 113 engines for 97 air-frames? Engines degrade, require spares, and programme support demands a buffer.
The 2027–2032 window is significant: it synchronises engine supply with aircraft production ramp-up.
The support package (maintenance, lifecycle, training) is as important as the engines themselves.
Supply-Chain and Past Delays: A Persistent Drag
The 2021 contract for 99 F404 engines had been beset by pandemic-era supply-chain disruption. According to multiple sources, GE cited “global supply-chain constraints” and a shuttered production line for delays. Wikipedia+1
In July 2025, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh indicated that GE had committed to supplying two engines per month until March 2026. The Economic Times
Yet, as larger deliveries were still pending, there were concerns that aircraft induction would be delayed. This new contract, therefore, is not just about procurement—it is about rebuilding supply-chain confidence.
India-U.S. Defence Ties: Strategic Context
This engine deal comes amid a backdrop of evolving India-U.S. defence relations. While tariffs and trade frictions had strained ties (the U.S. had earlier applied 50 % tariffs on Indian goods) this agreement signals a thaw. Reuters
The MoD’s statement emphasised that the deal was “notwithstanding a downturn in India–U.S. relations”. The Economic Times
For Washington, engagement with India’s defence manufacturing offers geopolitical and industrial benefits; for New Delhi, access to advanced Western engines shores up urgent capability gaps while underscoring its “Atmanirbhar Bharat” (self-reliance) narrative—albeit with caveats.
Indigenous Ambitions & Imports: The Balance
India has been vocal about reducing dependence on foreign platforms and domesticating defence production. Tejas itself is meant to comprise a high percentage of indigenous content—HAL has proclaimed 70 % for the Mk 1A. mint
Yet the engine—one of the most complex systems in a fighter jet—remains imported. Critics of the deal highlight that this level of import underscores India’s limited engine-manufacturing base and long development timelines (for instance, the Kaveri engine’s white-elephant status).
Supporters argue that interim imports are necessary while indigenous capability scales. The deal may include technology-transfer provisions—though details remain scarce.
Indian Air Force’s authorised squadron strength: 42; current strength: ~29. AP News+1
Tejas Mk 1A contract: 97 aircraft signed September 2025 for ~₹62,370 crore. Reuters+1
Past engine order: 99 units (2021 contract) but only 4 delivered by late 2025. India Today+1
Real-World Perspectives: Voices on the Ground
Wing Commander (Retd) Amit Mitra, former test-pilot and member of IAF evaluation board, eyes this contract with cautious optimism:
“Every new Tejas jet that comes off the line needs a matching engine. You cannot deliver a plane without the heart of the aircraft. So this deal matters—immensely.”
Ms Shreya Banerjee, aerospace analyst at a Bengaluru consultancy:
“The key will be delivery discipline. GE needs to meet monthly build-rates, HAL needs to integrate these into the assembly line, and the MoD must manage expectations of induction timelines.”
A worker at HAL’s Bengaluru production line (speaking anonymously):
“We’ve seen delays before. We hope this time it sticks. If engines arrive late, we still have aircraft standing idle.”
Strategic Implications: Short-Term and Long-Term
Short-Term
Ensures Tejas Mk 1A can enter service and replace older jets (e.g., MiG-21, MiG-29) more quickly.
Sustains production momentum at HAL and its supply-chain partners.
Signals confidence to potential foreign customers of Tejas (for export markets) that core supply-chains are dependable.
Long-Term
Opens pathway for further technology-transfer and potential joint production of engines in India (once trust is established).
Geopolitically, solidifies the U.S.–India strategic partnership in the aerospace domain—bolstering India’s status as a major defence-manufacturing hub.
Helps stabilise Indian Air Force squadron strength and readiness posture, which is critical given China’s PLA Air Force and Pakistan’s evolving air power.
Challenges, Caveats and Remaining Risks
The deal is a major step, yet several rings of risk remain:
Integration with Mk 1A: The air-frame delivery schedule may still slip, creating mismatches between engine and aircraft arrivals.
Indigenous maturity: Continued import of engines may draw criticism if self-reliance remains elusive.
Geopolitical risk: Engine supply depends on U.S. and GE’s ability to deliver; external shocks (trade tensions, sanctions) may disrupt.
Programme cost-escalation: With complex aircraft systems, cost growth is common; the US$1 billion engine deal is fixed, but total programme cost may inflate.
Exports and sustainment: If India wants to export Tejas, the availability of engines and long-term maintenance will be scrutinised by buyers.
Background: How We Got Here
Tejas Origins: The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) programme began in the 1980s/90s, intended to replace MiG-21s and MiG-27s. The first prototype flew in 2001; induction delays followed. Wikipedia
Engine Choice: The F404-GE-IN20 engine variant was selected to power Tejas. Wikipedia+1
Initial Engine Orders: India signed earlier orders for smaller numbers of engines (e.g., 17 + 24 units in earlier decades). Wikipedia
Production and Induction Delays: Multiple issues—supply-chain, certification, budget constraints—slowed aircraft production.
India’s Fleet Pressure: With ageing fighter fleets, induction of new types became urgent, especially post-2020 when regional threats intensified.
Recent Contracts: In 2025, India signed the 97-aircraft Tejas Mk 1A deal. Reuters
Engine Bottleneck: Recognised by MoD, hence faster engine deals and supply-chain assurances were sought.
Broader Defence Manufacturing & Strategic Trends
Atmanirbhar Bharat: India’s push for defence self-reliance emphasises domestic production, technology-transfer, private-sector participation. This engine deal fits, in that it supports the domestically produced Tejas even though the engine is imported.
Make in India: HAL (a PSU) remains central, but increased role for private suppliers and Tier-II/Tier-III aerospace ecosystem is envisaged.
Export ambitions: Tejas has been pitched to countries like West Asian and African nations. Engine supply certainty enhances export credibility.
Geopolitical alignments: With U.S.-India ties gaining momentum in recent years, defence trade and technology linkages are deeper. This engine deal exemplifies that trend.
Aircraft ecosystem maturity: Beyond the air-frame and engine, avionics (e.g., Uttam AESA radar), weapon-integration, sustainment and upgrades are increasingly domesticised. For instance, the Uttam radar has undergone tests onboard Tejas. Wikipedia
Taking Flight into the Future
This USD 1 billion engine deal is a milestone—but it remains a step, not the destination. For India’s air-force modernisation, the 113 engines signal the closing of one gap, but the runway ahead remains long. Timely deliveries, coordinated production, integration with air-frames, domestic manufacturing maturity and strategic exports all lie ahead.
If delivered on schedule, the deal will help the Tejas Mk 1A enter service with greater confidence and help HAL ramp up production to meet IAF induction targets. If delayed or disrupted, the bottlenecks of the past may repeat.
Major General (Retd) Kotari’s words resonate: “Contracts bring hope; execution brings deterrence.” For India, deterrence matters. As the jets take shape in hangars, and engines await their first fires, the world will watch whether this deal translates into operational squadrons and credible air-power.
In the end, this isn’t merely a contract—it is a vote of confidence in India’s aerospace ambitions, and a challenge to fulfil them. The clock now ticks on the 2027 start date—and on India’s path to a more self-reliant, modernised air force.
