Rajnath Singh reviews HAL projects; Tejas Mk1A delivery delays come under scrutiny

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Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reviews the progress of major ongoing projects of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) at a meeting in New Delhi on Monday. Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General N. S. Raja Subramani, and Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh are also present. | Photo Credit: ANI

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday (June 8, 2026) reviewed the progress of major ongoing projects of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) at a high-level meeting held at Kartavya Bhavan, with delays in the delivery of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk1A featuring prominently in the discussions.

During the meeting, Mr. Singh directed the Chairman and Managing Director of HAL, K. Ravi, to strictly adhere to delivery schedules for all defence projects and emphasised the need for the timely execution of programmes critical to the armed forces’ modernisation plans.

According to senior defence officials, the Ministry of Defence is also examining the possibility of imposing penalties on HAL for delays in the delivery of Tejas Mk1A fighter aircraft to the Indian Air Force (IAF).

Officials said six GE F404 engines required for the programme had already arrived in India, while nearly 18 Tejas Mk1A airframes were ready. With engine supplies beginning to stabilise, authorities are hopeful that HAL will be able to deliver the aircraft by the end of the year.

The Tejas Mk1A programme remains a key pillar of the IAF’s fighter fleet modernisation effort. The Air Force has already contracted 83 Tejas Mk1A aircraft under a deal worth over ₹48,000 crore. The government has also cleared the procurement of an additional 97 aircraft, significantly expanding the programme’s scale.

The Tejas family comprises multiple variants, including the Mk1, Mk1A, the under-development Mk2, as well as trainer and naval versions. While the Mk1 is currently operational with the IAF, the Mk1A introduces several advanced capabilities, including an Active E