New Delhi: US aerospace major GE Aerospace ships four F404-IN20 engines for India’s Tejas fighter programme in September 2026, strengthening the supply pipeline for Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) as it works to accelerate production of the LCA Mk-1A. The latest shipment follows three engines shipped in August, taking recent deliveries to seven. GE says it remains focused on delivering the engines needed to power India’s indigenous fighter aircraft.
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The F404-IN20 engines are being supplied under HAL’s 99-engine order placed with GE in 2021 for the Tejas Mk-1A programme. GE delivered the first engine under this order in March 2025 after restarting a production line that had remained dormant for about five years. Restarting the line also required rebuilding its global supply chain.
GE had earlier committed to delivering 20 engines between June and December 2026. The latest shipments therefore indicate a faster delivery tempo, although engine availability remains an important factor in HAL’s ability to complete and deliver Mk-1A aircraft. The IAF and HAL are also preparing for a review later this month to determine the induction timeline for the delayed fighter.
The development is significant for India’s fighter fleet modernisation. The IAF has orders for 180 Tejas Mk-1A aircraft across its first 83-aircraft contract and a subsequent 97-aircraft order. The second order, signed in September 2025, is worth over ₹62,370 crore excluding taxes, with deliveries scheduled to begin from 2027–28.
Beyond aircraft deliveries, GE is also expanding its long-term support footprint in India. In April 2026, the company announced a contract with the IAF to establish an in-country depot for F404-IN20 engines, with GE providing technical inputs, training, support staff, spares and specialised equipment. The facility is intended to reduce dependence on overseas repair centres and improve engine availability.
The latest engine shipments therefore represent more than a supply update: they are an important step in easing one of the bottlenecks affecting the Tejas Mk-1A programme, while the wider GE-HAL partnership is increasingly extending from engine supply into Indian-based maintenance, manufacturing and aerospace industrial capability.
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