Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has imposed sanctions on GE Aerospace for delay in the supply of F404-IN20 engines for the Tejas Mk-1A light combat aircraft.
According to ANI, citing an official statement, and Thursday’s Hindustan Times, quoting HAL Chairman and CEO DK Sunil, the sanctions were imposed due to the delay in engine deliveries.
“The contract contains a provision stating that liquidated damages will be imposed on GE Aviation if there is a delay in the delivery of the F-404 engines for light combat aircraft. Hence, the costs are imposed under the contract,” HAL officials said in a statement.
Tejas will fly again soon
Speaking to ANI, Sunil said that the Indian Air Force’s Tejas light combat aircraft are set to return to the skies as early as next week after being grounded for nearly two months.
This comes after a software glitch in the fighter’s braking system was fixed.
The Tejas LCA Mk-1 fleet (the first Tejas variant) was grounded in February after one of its jets suffered airframe damage after overflying a runway at the airbase following a suspected brake failure. The local modification commission approved the repair.
Sunil said the jets are likely to fly from April as the glitch is now fixed.
Delay in delivery of Tejas Mk-1A
On the delivery of the Tejas Mk-1A variant to the Indian Air Force (IAF), Sunil said HAL expects to deliver more than 20 jets by December.
The delay stems primarily from GE Aerospace missing several deadlines for the delivery of F-404 jet engines. The contract for the supply of 99 engines specifies a liquidated damages clause that HAL invokes every time there is a delay.
American firm GE Aerospace supplied only six of the 99 engines ordered by HAL under the $176 million deal. The first such was delivered in March 2025.
In February 2021, the Ministry of Defense sealed a ₹48,000 crore contract with HAL for procurement of 83 Tejas Mk-1A jets for the IAF. The first delivery was planned for March 2024, but the program was delayed due to problems with engine deliveries and pending certifications.
“GE has assured us that it will deliver 20 more engines by the end of the year. Twenty Mk-1A LCAs are ready, including five with new engines. The IAF will review the program in May. The deliveries will begin after we complete trials of the ASRAAM (advanced short-range air-to-air missile) in the required configuration and some radar software updates,” Sunstan told Times Hindu.
Meanwhile, GE Aerospace said the delays were due to supply chain constraints, adding that it was ramping up production to meet the Indian order.
Sunil said the sixth engine is expected to arrive by the end of this month, which will help increase the aircraft’s readiness.
