India's homegrown Tejas Mk1A fighter jets face delivery delays

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is set to receive only half of the 16 state-of-the-art Tejas Mk1A fighter jets that were scheduled for delivery in the 2024-2025 financial year, which began on April 1, according to Report, which cites The Times of India.

Sources reveal that the first Tejas Mk1A, initially planned for delivery on March 31, has been pushed back to September. The delay is attributed to production issues at the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and a holdup in receiving F-404 turbofan engines from the American corporation General Electric.

Under the current contract, HAL is obligated to deliver 83 Tejas Mk1A fighter jets to the IAF by February 2028. The IAF plans to sign an additional contract for 97 more aircraft of the same type.