State-owned defense giant Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) faced a weak opening on the stock market on February 12, following critical remarks from Indian Air Force Chief Marshal A P Singh regarding its track record in delivering Tejas Mk1A fighter jets. Singh expressed dissatisfaction over HAL’s inability to meet delivery timelines, accusing the company of lacking a “mission mode” approach. During an aircraft inspection at the air show on Monday, Singh was overheard telling HAL officials that he had “no confidence” in the organization, calling it a concerning situation. “I can only outline our requirements and concerns. It is your responsibility to address them and instill confidence. At present, I have none in HAL, and that is a very serious issue,” he told HAL’s leadership. However, HAL’s stock later recovered some of its intraday losses after the company’s management provided clarity on the delays. "The setback is not merely due to inefficiency on the industry's part. There were technical challenges, which have now been resolved. The Air Chief’s concerns are valid," said D K Sunil, HAL’s Chairman and Managing Director, at the Aero India 2025 summit.