Tejas Jet Delay: The Indian government has formed a special committee to investigate the delays in delivering the Tejas Mk-1A fighter jets to the Indian Air Force (IAF). The Ministry of Defence created this committee to find out why the delivery of these jets, which are made in India, is taking so long. The committee will also suggest ways to speed up the process so the IAF can get the jets faster. The committee has five members and is led by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh.
This decision comes after the Chief of the Indian Air Force, Air Marshal AP Singh, openly expressed his frustration about the delays. During the Aero India 2025 event in Bengaluru, he criticized Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the company making the Tejas jets.
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Tejas Jet Delay: Air Marshal AP Singh’s Remarks
He said he was not confident that HAL could meet the deadlines and added that the casual attitude of saying “ho jayega” (it will happen) was not acceptable. He even said, “Maza nahi aa raha hai” (I am not enjoying this), showing how unhappy he was with the situation, Business Standard reported.
The IAF is waiting for 83 Tejas Mk-1A jets, which are an upgraded version of the current Tejas Mk-1. These jets are very important for the IAF to strengthen its fleet. The Tejas Mk-1A is a modern fighter jet designed for all weather conditions and multiple roles. It is part of India’s plan to become self-reliant in defence manufacturing under the “Atma Nirbhar Bharat” initiative. Over the next ten years, the IAF plans to have around 350 Tejas jets, including the Mk-1, Mk-1A, and the more advanced Mk-2 versions.
After the Air Force chief’s criticism, HAL Chairman and Managing Director D K Sunil responded by saying that the company is working hard to deliver the jets soon. He admitted that there were some technical challenges but assured that HAL is solving these problems. He also promised to improve production efficiency and deliver the aircraft as quickly as possible.
The committee has one month to submit its report. Its main tasks are to find out what is causing the delays, suggest ways to speed up the delivery process, and explore how private companies can help in making the aircraft. The goal is to ensure that the Tejas jets are delivered to the IAF without further delays, helping the Air Force modernize its fleet and strengthen India’s defence capabilities.
