The indigenous Indian fighter jet Tejas has received its second major order, which took two years to finalize. On August 19, the Indian government approved the purchase of 97 Tejas Mk1A aircraft from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the company officially announced.
The road to this deal was a long one. The Indian Air Force expressed its intention to procure 97 additional aircraft back in September 2023, with the Ministry of Defence approving the plan in November that year. However, it took until April 2024 to officially announce the tender, with HAL being the only eligible manufacturer.
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The exact contract value has not been disclosed, but in 2024, the estimated cost of 97 fighters was $7.7 billion. However, this does not mean that one Tejas Mk1A costs $79 million per unit, as the price does not include the American-made F404-GE-IN20 engine from General Electric, which is procured separately.
And here lies the key issue: the engines. In June 2025, HAL accused General Electric of failing to meet delivery schedules, which stalled Tejas production. These engines are also required for the batch of 83 Tejas jets ordered back in 2021.
As of August, India had only received two engines from GE, with a promise of a third by early autumn and then two engines per month thereafter. This means it could take more than three years to build the remaining 80 aircraft from the 2021 order.
Unless the U.S. speeds up deliveries or India finds an alternative, production of the 97 fighters ordered in August 2025 may not begin until 2028. Even with HAL's maximum capacity, this would limit output to 24 Tejas jets per year, pushing contract completion no earlier than 2032.
Interestingly, the deal for the 97 additional engines required for this new order has not yet been signed. Nevertheless, New Delhi moved forward, as the Indian Air Force urgently needs reinforcements, especially after Pakistan's Sindur operation — the largest air battle involving around 130 aircraft— which highlighted India's vulnerabilities.
Beyond recent combat losses, India also faces the imminent retirement of its MiG-21 fleet. Though these jets already had limited combat capability, their decommissioning will reduce squadron strength to an all-time low of just 29 units.
That is why India is accelerating efforts to bolster its air force, as it must deter not only Pakistan but also a far more formidable adversary — China, with which it has territorial disputes. Alongside Tejas, India is also expected to procure additional French Rafale jets, bypassing international tenders that once considered Gripen, F-21, and even russias Su-57.
For Ukraine, this is a positive development, as closer Indo-French defense ties indirectly strengthen Western defense industry capacity.
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