In response to ongoing delays in General Electric’s F404 engine deliveries for the current TEJAS MK-1A program, India is undergoing a significant strategic realignment in the aerospace and defense sector as it looks into partnerships with Safran of France for the development of engines for the next-generation TEJAS MK-2. As the country looks to increase its domestic manufacturing capabilities and lessen reliance on outside sources, this development represents a critical turning point in India’s quest for defense technology self-sufficiency.
The shift to diversified collaborations underscores India’s resolve to create a more robust defense manufacturing ecosystem and reflects broader lessons gained from supply chain vulnerabilities revealed during the COVID-19 epidemic. This strategic shift has ramifications that go well beyond engine procurement to include technology transfer, intellectual property rights, and the fundamental components of India’s defense industrial base, especially in light of the Indian Air Force’s pressing need to modernize its fleet due to dwindling squadron strength.
Long-term delays in General Electric’s delivery of F404-IN20 engines have caused significant setbacks for the TEJAS MK-1A program, which has had a ripple effect on India’s timeline for modernizing fighter aircraft. After a nearly two-year delay caused by global supply chain disruptions and the difficulties of restarting the F404-IN20 production line, which had lain idle since 2016 after GE fulfilled an earlier order of 65 engines for the TEJAS MK-1, the first F404-IN20 engine was finally delivered on March 25, 2025.
When Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) ordered an additional 99 engines in 2021 for the TEJAS MK-1A LCA, the engine production hiatus created significant challenges because GE’s team had to take on the difficult task of restarting the production line and re-engaging the engine’s global supply chain after a five-year dormancy period.
The Indian Air Force’s objectives for fleet modernization and operational preparedness have been significantly impacted by the delivery timeline postponement. Engine supply was supposed to start in March 2024, as per the terms of the initial contract that HAL and GE signed in August 2021. However, GE was unable to reach this date, claiming supply chain issues that required high-level intervention from the US and Indian governments. The Indian Air Force, which is now operating at 31 squadrons compared to a sanctioned strength of 42, has been directly impacted by the delay in receiving TEJAS MK-1A fighter jets, underscoring the significance of resolving these supply chain weaknesses.
Notwithstanding these obstacles, GE Aerospace has reiterated its intention to provide HAL with 12 F404-IN20 engines by the end of 2025. Two more engines will be delivered on a monthly basis beginning in July 2025, as part of an updated delivery schedule that aims to allow HAL to operationalize the IAF’s first TEJAS MK-1A squadron by the end of the year.
The COVID-19 epidemic, component shortages, and logistical problems have all contributed to the delays, making the technical difficulties of resuming idle production lines more difficult than first thought. The F404-IN20 engine is a high-thrust version designed especially for the TEJAS MK-1A. It has the highest thrust in the F404 family, a higher-flow fan, single-crystal turbine blades, and many other special parts that were created over many years of close cooperation between the GE Aerospace and TEJAS teams. The technical sophistication that has made supply chain restart especially difficult is highlighted by the engine’s proven performance capabilities, which were shown during the aircraft’s first test flight in 2008 when it reached Mach 1.1 speed and climbed to several mission altitudes.
By making significant investments and forming strategic alliances that show a sustained dedication to the Indian market, Safran has been methodically increasing its footprint in the country’s aerospace industry and establishing itself as a trustworthy alternative partner. With more than 2,000 employees dispersed across 13 organizations, including a training center with 17 locations across 7 cities, the French aerospace behemoth has been present in India for more than 65 years and supports production, design, and
development, engineering services, and IT back-end for the local and international needs of the Safran Group. With the establishment of electrical harness and civil engine parts assembly plants, an IT support center, and the expansion of its joint venture with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited to double capacity for equipping civil engines and helicopter turbine pipes, Safran has dramatically increased its operations in India over the last five years.
development, engineering services, and IT back-end for the local and international needs of the Safran Group. With the establishment of electrical harness and civil engine parts assembly plants, an IT support center, and the expansion of its joint venture with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited to double capacity for equipping civil engines and helicopter turbine pipes, Safran has dramatically increased its operations in India over the last five years.
Given the difficulties with GE’s F404 engine supply chain, India’s consideration of Safran as a partner for the development of engines for the TEJAS MK-2 signifies a strategy move toward diversifying defense collaborations and lowering reliance on single suppliers. This action shows a deliberate choice to take advantage of India’s status as a significant defense market in order to obtain better terms and larger commitments from possible partners on technology transfer. According to reports, Safran’s proposal for the development of the TEJAS MK-2 engine
designed to allow for the complete transfer of intellectual property rights, giving India more control over the creation, design, and manufacturing of engines. This strategy is ideally suited to India’s overarching strategic objective of becoming self-sufficient in defense technology and building up domestic capabilities that can sustain long-term defense needs independently of outside assistance.
With a focus on technology absorption and domestic development capabilities, the diversification approach goes beyond straightforward risk reduction to include a fundamental reorganization of India’s defense procurement philosophy. By establishing local expertise that may potentially result in entirely indigenous engine development projects, the possible partnership with Safran would put India in a position to gain from cutting-edge jet engine technologies. This strategy differs from conventional procurement strategies, which prioritize short-term capability acquisition above the development of long-term technological underpinnings. The timing of this strategy shift is especially important since it aligns with the government’s aim to achieve meaningful technology transfer in large defense acquisitions and India’s increasing trust in its defense industrial ecosystem.
A significant turning point in the nation’s defense industry trajectory, India’s investigation of a collaboration with Safran for the development of TEJAS MK-2 engines reflects important lessons gained from supply chain vulnerabilities and the necessity of technological self-reliance. The difficulties encountered with GE’s F404 engine deliveries have brought to light the dangers of relying just on one supplier and the significance of creating robust, diverse supply chains for vital defense technologies. Safran’s all-encompassing strategy, which includes workforce development, local manufacturing, knowledge transfer, and MRO capabilities, provides a template for defense alliances that meet both short-term operational needs and long-term strategic goals for India.
