’Just not confident of HAL,’ says IAF chief

Indian Air Force Chief expresses lack of confidence in HAL's delays in LCA-Mk1A deliveries, while HAL promises progress.

In sharp remarks over delays in the deliveries of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA)-Mk1A by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Indian Air Force (IAF) Air Chief Marshal (ACM) A. P. Singh on Tuesday (February 11, 2025) said that, at the moment, he was “just not confident” of HAL, which was a “very wrong” thing to happen.

HAL Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) D. K. Sunil, responding to questions on the earlier comments by the Air Chief, said the concerns over delays were well understood but were “simply not attributable to the laziness of the industry”, while stating that 12 LCA-Mk1A would be ready.

“HAL is our company, we have all worked there. But I find that HAL is just not in mission mode,” the IAF chief said. “I was promised that when I come here in February, 11 Tejas Mk1As would be ready. And not a single one is ready,” ACM Singh said in remarks with two HAL employees at the ongoing Aero India here, in a video that was posted on YouTube and later went viral on social media platform X. 

“The aircraft that you flew, calling it Mk1A. It is not Mk1A. It cannot happen just by change of one software or by looks. When the weapons come and the capability comes, then it’s a Mk1A,” Mr. Singh said.

The Air Chief said he would be the happiest person if “proved wrong”. “I feel that only a few are putting in any effort. Or maybe everyone is putting in effort in their own silos without looking at the overall picture. Something has to change. Some drastic change. This needs a magic wand so everything gets aligned. It’s high time,” he said.

Earlier in the day, addressing a press conference, Mr. Sunil asserted that the supply chain issue by General Electric (GE), which delayed engine deliveries, had been resolved and they would receive 12 F-404 engines for the LCA-Mk1A this year. “GE has stabilised its manufacturing process for the F404 engines. We have already made three aircraft, and by the end of this year, 11 will be manufactured. As the engines start coming in, our delivery to the IAF will start,” Mr. Sunil said.

The CMD said that three Tejas Mk1A were flying, and by the end of the year, one from Nasik and 11 from Bengaluru, would be ready. He asserted that the existing order for 87 LCA-Mk1A would be completed in three-and-a-half years, and the additional order for 97 jets by FY31-32, with the production rate going to 24 jets per year.