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Tejas Mk-1A Delays Deepen India's Fighter Squadron Shortfall
India ordered many Tejas Mk-1A fighter planes, but none has been handed over to the Air Force yet.
The orders are worth more than Rs 1.1 lakh crore.
Air Force chief AP Singh says the delay is much longer than expected and is making it harder to keep the force ready.
The Air Force has 29 fighter groups, while 42 are officially planned.
Singh says it needs 36 to 40 new planes each year to stop its numbers from falling and begin rebuilding.
India is also working on other fighter plans, including the Tejas Mk-2 and the AMCA.
The Air Force hopes a deal for 114 foreign fighters can be signed this financial year, if talks go well.
Singh said Russia has offered the Su-57 as a possible option if the AMCA is delayed, but India has not decided.
He also said drones should be part of existing units, and that people should remain responsible for important decisions when AI is used.
India has committed more than Rs 1.1 lakh crore for 180 Tejas Mk-1A aircraft, but none has been formally delivered to the Indian Air Force.
The first 83-jet contract, worth Rs 48,000 crore, was signed in February 2021, with deliveries due to begin in 2024; a second deal for 97 aircraft was signed in September 2025.
Air Chief Marshal AP Singh said the delay is unusually significant and is hurting combat readiness; contractual penalties for Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd are under consideration.
The IAF has 29 fighter squadrons against 42 sanctioned and says it needs 36–40 new aircraft annually to stop the decline and rebuild.
Singh cited parallel plans including Tejas Mk-2, AMCA and a proposed 114-aircraft MRFA deal, while saying no decision has been made on Russia's Su-57.
- Who
- The Indian Air Force and its chief, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh; Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd is the Tejas Mk-1A manufacturer.
- What
- Tejas Mk-1A deliveries are delayed, while the IAF faces a fighter-squadron shortfall and is considering several other aircraft programmes.
- Where
- At the IAF chief's annual press conference in Delhi.
- When
- Singh spoke on October 3, 2026, ahead of the 94th Air Force Day; the first deliveries had been due to begin in 2024.
- Why
- The delay has left the IAF without any formally delivered Mk-1A aircraft as its fighter squadron count remains below the sanctioned level.
Key facts
- First Tejas Mk-1A contract
- Rs 48,000 crore for 83 aircraft: 73 fighters and 10 trainers; signed in February 2021.
- Second Tejas Mk-1A contract
- Rs 62,370 crore for 97 aircraft; signed in September 2025.
- Deliveries
- No Tejas Mk-1A had been formally handed over to the IAF as of early October 2026.
- Fighter squadrons
- The IAF has 29 squadrons, compared with 42 officially sanctioned.
- Annual induction need
- Singh said the IAF needs 36–40 new fighter aircraft each year to stop the decline and begin rebuilding.
- MRFA plan
- The plan is to buy 114 foreign fighters; Singh hopes the deal can be signed within the financial year if negotiations go well.
- Potential penalties
- The defence ministry has warned that HAL could face liquidated damages for missed schedules.
Quotes
Air Chief Marshal AP Singh
Chief of the Indian Air Force.
“We need to induct two fighter squadrons every year. That means anything between 36 and 40 aircraft should be produced and inducted into the IAF for us to stop going down from the current 30 fighter squadrons and start improving towards the target of 42 squadrons. Actually, we need even more than that.”
financialexpress.com
“If there are delays in the AMCA fifth-generation fighter programme, we may have to look at other options. Russia has offered the Su‑57, but no decision has been taken yet.”
financialexpress.com
Sources
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