Given the severe lack of squadron strength in the Indian Air Force (IAF), the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence has called on the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to make sure Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) expedites the manufacturing of the TEJAS fighter jets. As the IAF currently only has 31 active squadrons instead of the 42 needed to adequately prepare for future conflicts with China and Pakistan, the committee’s report, which was recently presented, emphasized the urgency of increasing production to avoid jeopardizing the IAF’s operational capabilities.
The problem has been made worse by the 83 TEJAS MK-1A jets’ delivery delays, which were first anticipated to begin in March 2024. HAL has been told to increase its production capacity in order to satisfy this demand, as not a single jet has been delivered as of yet. In addition to the about ₹48,000 crore deal for these jets, the IAF is also seeking to acquire 97 more TEJAS MK-1A aircraft.
Supply chain problems have been the main cause of the delays, especially with regard to the F404 engines that were purchased from GE Aerospace. The anticipated arrival date for these engines was pushed back from March 2023 to April 2025 due to numerous logistical issues and shortages of components made worse by the epidemic. HAL has succeeded in
Diversifying production lines and looking into public-private partnerships are two ways to address these issues and increase manufacturing capacity. To speed up the delivery of these vital aircraft, the IAF has stated that it needs several production lines and partnerships with businesses in the private sector.
In light of the changing security environment, resolving these production delays is essential to preserving India’s aerial defense capability.
