Sept 2026 : India’s TEJAS MK-1A fighter aircraft programme has received a fresh boost with GE Aerospace delivering three additional F404-IN20 engines to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), strengthening the propulsion supply for the indigenous fighter fleet.
The latest consignment was shipped to India in August 2026, taking the total number of F404-IN20 engines delivered under the programme to 10. GE Aerospace confirmed the deliveries on Thursday. The development is significant for HAL as it seeks to maintain momentum in the production and delivery of TEJAS MK-1A aircraft to the Indian Air Force.
The engine deliveries are part of a 2021 contract under which GE Aerospace agreed to supply 99 F404-IN20 engines to HAL at a cost of around Rs 5,375 crore. The agreement provides the propulsion systems required for the TEJAS MK-1A fleet and represents a crucial component of India's fighter aircraft manufacturing programme.
The latest three engines follow the seventh unit delivered in July. With 10 engines now supplied, GE is gradually rebuilding the delivery pipeline for a powerplant that has been closely associated with the TEJAS programme since its development phase.
The F404-IN20 is a specialised version of GE Aerospace’s F404 engine family, configured specifically for India’s single-engine TEJAS fighter. According to the company, the variant provides the highest thrust within the F404 series and incorporates features such as a higher-flow fan, single-crystal turbine blades and other customised components developed to meet the requirements of the Indian Air Force.
The F404 family has powered thousands of military aircraft worldwide and is regarded by GE as one of the company’s most successful combat aircraft engine programmes. For TEJAS, the engine has played a central role in enabling the aircraft’s flight testing, development and progression towards operational service.
The recent deliveries also mark the revival of a production line that had remained inactive for several years. GE had supplied 65 F404-IN20 engines for the TEJAS Light Combat Aircraft programme by 2016. Production was subsequently halted in the absence of additional orders.
HAL’s 2021 order for 99 engines led to the reopening of the F404-IN20 production line after roughly five years of inactivity. The order also required the reactivation of parts of the global supply chain associated with the engine. GE has said its teams worked closely with the TEJAS programme to refine the powerplant further in line with the operational requirements of the Indian Air Force.
GE Aerospace’s engagement with India’s military aviation sector dates back to the 1980s, when the company began working with the Aeronautical Development Agency. The relationship subsequently became an important part of India’s efforts to develop an indigenous fighter aircraft.
The F404-IN20 was selected in 2004 to power the TEJAS, marking an important milestone in the programme. The engine supported the aircraft through its early flight-testing phase, including the developmental testing that demonstrated the fighter’s ability to achieve supersonic speeds and operate at high altitudes.
The arrival of additional engines is particularly important for HAL because propulsion availability directly affects the pace at which completed airframes can move through ground testing, flight trials and eventual delivery. Several TEJAS MK-1A aircraft have been assembled, making a steady engine supply essential to maintaining production schedules.
With GE continuing to deliver F404-IN20 engines under the 2021 contract, HAL is expected to have greater scope to accelerate the integration and testing of TEJAS MK-1A aircraft. The pace of future deliveries will remain a key factor in determining how quickly the fighters can be handed over to the Indian Air Force, supporting India’s broader push towards greater self-reliance in defence manufacturing.
(Disclaimer :The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)
