GE and IAF Partnership for Tejas: India has got a new boost for its Tejas fighter jet programme. On Monday, GE Aerospace said it has signed a contract with the Indian Air Force to help set up a repair and overhaul centre inside India for the F404-IN20 engines used in Tejas fighter aircraft. This is important because India will not have to depend so much on repair centres in other countries.
Once this new place starts working, engine repairs should happen faster and the Tejas fleet should get back into service more quickly. GE said the new setup is expected to support India’s own defence strength and also help the government’s Make in India push.
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The F404-IN20 engine powers the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas fleet of the Indian Air Force. GE Aerospace said, “The facility will enhance in-country repair and overhaul infrastructure supporting sustainment and availability of the F404-IN20 engine that powers the Tejas LCA aircraft fleet. It will be set up by the IAF with technical inputs from GE Aerospace and is expected to help India’s indigenous defence sustainment effort. Once operational, the facility will eliminate the need to depend on the overseas repair centres, significantly improving turnaround times.”
IAF Will Run Itw ith GE Support
This new depot will belong to the Indian Air Force and it will also be run and maintained by the IAF. GE Aerospace will help by giving technical support, training, spare parts, support staff, and special equipment needed for the work. The company said this is the next big step in its long partnership with the IAF, which has been going on for around 40 years.
Rita Flaherty, Vice-President of sales and business development for defence & systems at GE Aerospace, spoke about the project and said, “Our commitment to supporting India’s armed forces continues to guide our collaboration and partnership in expanding local sustainment capabilities of the Tejas fleet,” said Rita Flaherty, Vice-President of sales and business development for defence & systems at GE Aerospace.
She also said, “Through the upcoming depot facility, we will support the availability of the F404-IN20 engines for the IAF, ensuring they have ready access to cutting-edge technology to power their defence needs.”
Delay in Engine Supply
This move comes at a time when engine deliveries have already become a big issue. HAL had put contractual penalties on GE because the engines for Tejas were coming late under the deal. In the first major contract signed on August 19, 2021, HAL ordered 99 F404 engines for Tejas jets. That deal was worth $716 million and deliveries were to continue till 2029. Later, on November 7, 2025, HAL signed another $1 billion deal with GE for 113 more engines for Tejas aircraft, with deliveries planned between 2027 and 2032.
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But the supply has not moved the way it was supposed to. Till now, only six engines have been delivered to HAL. That is much lower than the earlier target of 11 engines for the last financial year. Because of this, the Indian Air Force has faced problems in pushing ahead with its fighter strength plans. The IAF is now down to 29 fighter squadrons, while the ideal number is 42 squadrons.
GE’s Bigger Role in India
GE Aerospace said it wants to keep building India’s aerospace network in many areas like design, development, manufacturing, and long-term support for both civil and military flying. The company is not only linked to Tejas. Its engines are also used in the Indian Navy’s P-8I maritime patrol aircraft and MH60R helicopters. They are also used in the Indian Air Force’s AH-64 Apache helicopters. On top of that, LM2500 marine gas turbines from GE help power INS Vikrant and the P-17 Shivalik Class frigates.
GE has been working with India’s aviation sector for more than four decades. The company says around 1,400 GE Aerospace and partner engines are now in service in India, powering major airlines and also supporting defence platforms.
