HAL Tejas Mk1A at Aero India 2025. (Credits: PIB)
New Delhi: GE Aerospace has shipped four more F404-IN20 engines to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the LCA Tejas Mk1A programme, taking the total number of engines supplied under the programme to 14.
GE Aerospace confirmed that the four engines were shipped in September 2026. The latest delivery follows three F404-IN20 engines shipped to HAL in August, which had taken the total supply to 10.
“We remain focused on delivering the engines needed to power India’s Tejas indigenous fighter jets,” a GE Aerospace spokesperson told ANI.
Engine deliveries pick up pace
The latest shipments mark a significant improvement in the pace of F404 deliveries compared with 2025.
GE delivered the first engine from its current order to HAL in March 2025. The company had to restart production of the F404-IN20 line after it had been inactive for several years and also rebuild parts of its global supply chain.
Deliveries have accelerated in recent months. GE shipped one engine in July, three in August and four in September 2026. This means eight engines were shipped across the three-month period.
The engines are part of a 99-engine order placed by HAL with GE Aerospace for the Tejas Mk1A programme. GE’s contract, valued at around $716 million, includes engines and support services.
Why the F404 supply matters
The F404-IN20 is the engine that powers the single-engine Tejas Mk1A fighter. Delays in receiving these engines have been one of the major factors affecting the aircraft’s production and delivery schedule.
HAL has continued producing Tejas Mk1A airframes while waiting for engines and completing other testing and integration work.
In September, HAL Chairman and Managing Director Ravi K said the company had prepared 27 Tejas Mk1A airframes. However, the aircraft could not immediately be handed over to the Indian Air Force because some testing and integration work was still pending.
This means the latest engine deliveries are important, but they do not automatically translate into 14 completed or operational Tejas Mk1A aircraft.
HAL still has testing work to complete
The Indian Air Force has said that the engines have now been received and installed on the aircraft, with testing underway before induction.
IAF Vice Chief Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit said in September that the initial delay was linked to the engine supply, but the engines have now been received and installed. He said only a few technical issues remained and expressed confidence that they could be resolved within a month or two.
HAL has also said that remaining work includes testing and integration related to the AESA radar and missiles.
HAL is targeting the start of Mk1A deliveries to the IAF by the end of 2026, although the final timeline depends on completion of the remaining tests and clearances.
From five engines to 14
The latest numbers show how sharply the supply situation has changed over the past year.
In December 2025, HAL had received only five of the 99 F404 engines under the order. At that stage, the slow supply was a major constraint on Tejas Mk1A production.
The total subsequently rose to seven in July, 10 in August and now 14 after the September shipments.
The faster flow of engines gives HAL greater scope to complete aircraft already in production, but maintaining this pace will be important for the programme’s long-term schedule.
Larger Tejas order ahead
The Indian Air Force has ordered 180 Tejas Mk1A aircraft through two contracts.
The first contract, signed in 2021, covers 83 aircraft, while the second contract signed in 2025 covers another 97 aircraft.
The current 99-engine GE order is associated with the initial Mk1A requirement. A separate engine arrangement is in place for the subsequent production requirements.
With the IAF facing a shortage of fighter squadrons, timely Tejas deliveries remain important for India’s efforts to strengthen its combat fleet.
What happens next?
The September shipment is a positive development for the Tejas Mk1A programme, but the key issue now is whether GE can maintain a consistent delivery rate and whether HAL can convert the improved engine supply into aircraft deliveries.
The programme has moved beyond the stage where engine shortages are the only problem. Testing, radar certification, weapons integration and final clearances are also important before the aircraft can be formally inducted.
For now, the latest four-engine shipment represents another step towards getting the delayed Tejas Mk1A programme into service.
Related analysis: GE-HAL Supply Chain Struggle Continues: Only 5 F404 Engines Delivered Since 2021 Our earlier analysis examined how the slow F404 supply is affecting Tejas Mk1A production when only five engines had been delivered.
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