India's indigenous fighter aircraft programme has gained critical momentum with the arrival of fresh propulsion systems from the United States. Engine manufacturer GE Aerospace has dispatched a batch of four F404-IN20 fighter jet engines to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in September 2026. The delivery brings significant relief to the Tejas Mk1A manufacturing schedule, which had previously faced major timeline slippages caused by supply delays. With these powerplants now arriving, assembly lines are positioned to regain their required manufacturing pace.
Progress Towards the 2026 Target
The latest transfer aligns with GE Aerospace's broader commitment to supply a total of 20 engines between June and December 2026. According to an official company spokesperson, this September handover follows an earlier shipment of three F404 engines that were sent to HAL in August. These sequential shipments demonstrate steady operational progress toward achieving the calendar-year objective. The manufacturer reiterated its continued focus on delivering the critical machinery needed to power India's light combat aircraft fleet, reinforcing its industrial partnership with HAL and the Indian Air Force.
The 99-Engine Order and Supply Chain Hurdles
The foundation of the current procurement rests on a deal signed in 2021, when HAL contracted GE for 99 F404-IN20 engines dedicated to the Tejas Mk1A fleet. Under that arrangement, the inaugural engine arrived in India on March 25, 2025. However, expanding deliveries ran into complex industrial hurdles. According to GE, the F404-IN20 assembly line had been completely dormant for approximately five years before this additional demand materialized. Restarting fabrication demanded an extensive reactivation of both manufacturing tools and a sprawling global vendor network. Shawn Warren, General Manager of combat and trainer engines at GE, noted that the disruptions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic made rehabilitating this supply chain particularly demanding. Former HAL Chairman DK Sunil had shared in April that the American supplier committed to fulfilling the 20-engine benchmark before the end of 2026.
Expanding Programme and 97 Additional Jets
The collaboration surrounding the Tejas platform traces back well before the Mk1A expansion. The F404-IN20 powerplant was initially chosen for the single-engine indigenous combat jet back in 2004, and GE had completed the handover of 65 units to HAL by 2016. The scale of the fighter project grew substantially in September 2025, when the Ministry of Defence awarded HAL a fresh contract valued at over Rs 62,370 crore for 97 supplementary LCA Mk1A aircraft. That package comprises 68 operational combat fighters alongside 29 twin-seater variants.
Handover of these newly ordered jets is slated to commence in 2027-28 and run across a six-year delivery window. These aircraft will feature an indigenous component level exceeding 64 percent. To maintain fleet availability, GE Aerospace and the Indian Air Force announced a partnership in April 2026 to create a dedicated domestic F404-IN20 engine depot. Owned, operated, and serviced directly by the Indian Air Force, the maintenance base will receive tooling, spare parts, engineering training, and technical advisory services directly from GE.
