HAL and GE Aerospace: HAL chief Ravi K. sat down with GE Aerospace chief Larry Culp and his team during the Farnborough Airshow to review their partnership and sort out the engine supply problem. The main aim was simple: clear the delays, fix the weak points in the supply chain, and lock in a steady delivery plan for the F404-IN20 engines used in the Indian Air Force’s Tejas Mk1A fighter jets.
This meeting came at a time when the Tejas programme has been under heavy pressure. In 2021, HAL signed a $716 million contract for 99 F404 engines, but deliveries moved very slowly after that. Reports said only six engines had reached HAL by the end of the last fiscal year, and HAL also began imposing contractual penalties on GE because of the repeated delay. The engine shortage has been a major reason the Tejas Mk1A rollout has slipped behind schedule.
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More Engines
GE Aerospace has now said it will send 20 more engines by the end of 2026, and recent reporting also said the company expects to deliver that batch in the second half of the year. This is meant to help HAL clear the backlog and keep the Tejas line moving. HAL has still kept work going on its side, with five Tejas Mk1A aircraft already ready for delivery and nine more already built and test-flown while waiting for engines.
A Bigger Partnership
The talks were not only about today’s delays. HAL and GE Aerospace also stressed that they want a longer and stronger aerospace tie-up. A big part of that plan is the new in-country depot facility for F404-IN20 engines, which GE said in April will help India do repair and overhaul work at home instead of sending engines abroad. GE has also said its India work with HAL is part of a long partnership that has lasted for more than 40 years.
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Both sides are now trying to make sure this does not stay a one-aircraft problem. The idea is to build a more dependable system for engine supply, servicing, and future propulsion work so India’s next combat aircraft programmes do not face the same bottleneck. In simple words, the meeting was about fixing the present, but it was also about making the next stage of India’s fighter jet plan safer and smoother.
