HAL assures delivery of Tejas jets day after IAF chief's 'not confident' remark

A day after Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal A P Singh said that he had "no confidence" in Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, the maker of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) 'Tejas', the aerospace company has assured that it will soon start delivering the airplane. 

On Tuesday, Air Force Chief, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, while inspecting an aircraft at the show, reportedly told HAL officials that he had "no confidence" in the state-owned aerospace company. 

HAL Chairman and Managing Director D K Sunil attributed the delay to technical issues. "The delay is not simply attributable to just, I would say laziness, on the part of the industry. There have been technical issues which have got sorted out. The concern of the Air Chief is understandable," he told reporters here at the Aero India 2025 event.

According to him, meetings have been held at different levels and the public sector undertaking would soon be delivering the aircraft.

"We have now promised that we will have all the structures ready. We have conveyed this. We have had multiple meetings at different levels. We have conveyed this. We are building this. And once the engines are available, this will start rolling out. I think the concern is well understood. There is no doubt on that and as a team, all of us are focused...we will start delivering the aircraft," he added.

According to reports, the Air Chief, while inspecting an aircraft at the show, reportedly told HAL officials that he had "no confidence" in the state-owned aerospace company. “You have to alleviate (our) worries and make us more confident. At the moment, I am just not confident of HAL, which is a very wrong thing to happen,” Singh remarked, stressing the urgency of the situation.

One aircraft from HAL’s Nasik facility and two from Bengaluru will be delivered to the Air Force by the end of this year. The complete delivery of all 83 LCA Mk1A jets, as per the existing contract with the Air Force, is expected to be completed within the next three and a half years, The India Today reported.

The Air Force, however, is still awaiting delivery of four out of the 40 Tejas Mk1 jets, the predecessor of the Mk1A, which were ordered in 2010.