Tejas Mk-1A Fleet Expansion and Supply Chain: UPSC Current Affairs Story Arc

Overview

This arc tracks the decisive transition of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas from a developmental program to a mass-produced backbone of the Indian Air Force (IAF). It began with a strategic roadmap for modernization, escalated into a massive ₹62,370 crore contract for 97 additional jets, and culminated in securing the global supply chain through a $1 billion deal with GE Aerospace for engines. The primary objective is to replace the aging MiG-21 fleet with an indigenous 4.5-generation fighter equipped with advanced AESA radar and BVR missiles. This sequence highlights India's 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' strategy—balancing indigenous airframe manufacturing with critical international technology partnerships.

How This Story Evolved

Upcoming order outlined (Item 3) → Major contract for 97 jets signed (Item 1) → Engine supply deal signed to fulfill order (Item 4)

1. 2025-07-17: LCA Tejas Mk 1A for IAF Modernisation
   More details

   UPSC Angle: LCA Tejas Mk 1A vital for IAF modernisation.

   Key Facts:

   • Aircraft: LCA Tejas Mk 1A
   • Engine: GE F404
   • Deliveries by end-2025: 12 jets
   • Planned production: 16 aircraft per year
   • Features: AESA radar, EW suite, BVR missiles (ASTRA)
   • Engine deal: ₹5,375 crore
2. 2025-09-27: LCA Mk-1A Fighter Jet Deal
   More details

   UPSC Angle: MoD signs ₹62,370 crore contract for 97 Tejas Mk-1A fighter aircraft.

   Key Facts:

   • Contract value: ₹62,370 crore
   • Aircraft: 97 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), Tejas Mark-1A variant
   • Order composition: 68 single-seater fighter jets and 29 twin-seaters
   • Delivery to begin: 2027-28
   • Delivery completion: over six years
   • Implementing agency: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)
3. 2025-11-08: HAL Signs $1-Billion Deal with GE Aerospace for Fighter Jet Engines
   More details

   UPSC Angle: HAL signs $1B deal with GE for Tejas LCA jet engines.

   Key Facts:

   • HAL signed $1-billion deal with GE Aerospace
   • Procure 113 F404-GE-IN20 jet engines
   • Engines for India's indigenous Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA)
   • Delivery between 2027 and 2032
   • LCA Mk-1As will replace IAF's MiG-21 fighter jets
4. 2026-02-14: HAL's TEJAS MK-1A Program Reaches Production Milestones
   More details

   UPSC Angle: TEJAS MK-1A program progressing well, production lines stabilized.

   Key Facts:

   • Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh
   • TEJAS MK-1A program
   • Five aircraft airborne
   • Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)
   • Domestic suppliers
   • Nine aircraft awaiting GE engines
   • HAL confirmed readiness of five TEJAS MK-1A jets for delivery on February 5
   • Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative

Genesis

Trigger

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) identified a critical depletion in IAF squadron strength, leading to the imminent ₹67,000 crore order report on July 17, 2025.

Why Now

The IAF is facing the mandatory retirement of its remaining MiG-21 squadrons by 2025-27, creating an operational vacuum that only a scaled-up Tejas production line could fill.

Historical Context

The LCA program (started in the 1980s) struggled for decades with delays; this arc represents the final 'industrialization phase' where research finally meets large-scale procurement.

Key Turning Points

1. [2025-09-27] MoD signs ₹62,370 crore contract for 97 Tejas Mk-1A jets

   This converted a strategic 'intent' into a binding financial and industrial commitment, making the Tejas the largest indigenous defense order.

   Before: Uncertainty about the scale of the Tejas fleet expansion. After: Guaranteed production until 2033-34 with a clear roadmap for 16 aircraft per year.

2. [2025-11-08] HAL-GE Aerospace $1 Billion Engine Deal

   It secured the most critical sub-system (the engine) which India does not yet produce indigenously for fighters.

   Before: High-value aircraft order without a confirmed powerplant supply. After: De-risked production for 113 aircraft engines through 2032.

Key Actors and Institutions

Key Institutions

• Indian Air Force (IAF)
• Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)
• Ministry of Defence (MoD)
• GE Aerospace (USA)

Key Concepts

Indigenization of Defense Technology

The process of designing, developing, and manufacturing defense equipment within the country to reduce import dependence and enhance strategic autonomy.

Current Fact: The Tejas Mk-1A features an indigenous EW suite and BVR missiles like ASTRA.

4.5-Generation Fighter

Combat aircraft that incorporate advanced digital avionics, AESA radar, and reduced radar cross-section, bridging the gap between 4th and 5th generation jets.

Current Fact: The 97 jets ordered include 68 single-seaters and 29 twin-seater variants.

Strategic Procurement Supply Chain

The management of critical components (like jet engines) that cannot yet be produced domestically, requiring long-term international agreements to ensure production continuity.

Current Fact: HAL signed a $1-billion deal for 113 F404-GE-IN20 engines to support the 2027-2032 delivery window.

What Happens Next

Current Status

HAL has secured the $1 billion engine supply from GE Aerospace as of November 2025, ensuring the powerplants for the 97 newly ordered jets are locked in.

Likely Next

Delivery of the first 12 jets of the previous order by end-2025, followed by the commencement of the 97-jet production run in 2027.

Wildcards

Potential delays in GE's engine delivery schedule (global supply chain issues) or shifts in US-India jet engine technology transfer (GE-F414) for the Mk-2 variant.

Why UPSC Cares

Syllabus Topics

• Indigenization of technology and developing new technology
• Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life
• Security challenges and their management

Essay Angles

• Atmanirbharta in Defense: Between indigenous design and global supply chains
• Modernizing India's Air Might: Challenges of technology absorption
• The role of PSUs like HAL in India's strategic autonomy

Prelims Likely: Yes

Mains Likely: Yes

Trend Signal: rising

Exam Intelligence

Previous Year Question Connections

• Identified Tejas as a delta-winged fighter jet. — Matches the aircraft variant in this arc; students must know the Mk-1A configuration.
• Segments identified for Strategic Partnership route (Fighter aircraft). — This arc is the practical application of procurement policy for the fighter aircraft segment.

Prelims Angles

• Engine Specifics: The F404-GE-IN20 engine powers the Mk-1A, not the F414 (which is for Mk-2).
• Order Composition: 97 jets consisting of 68 single-seaters and 29 twin-seaters.
• Missile Integration: ASTRA is the primary indigenous BVR missile mentioned for Tejas Mk-1A.
• Timeline: Deliveries for the new 97-jet order begin in 2027-28 and end in 2032-33.

Mains Preparation

Sample Question: Critically analyze the significance of the LCA Tejas Mk-1A program in achieving 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' in the defense sector. Discuss the challenges posed by reliance on international suppliers for critical components like jet engines.

Answer Structure: Intro: Context of the ₹62,370 Cr deal → Body 1: Strategic benefits (replacing MiG-21s, job creation, indigenous tech like AESA/ASTRA) → Body 2: Economic impact (11,750 jobs, HAL production scale-up) → Body 3: The Engine Dilemma (Reliance on GE Aerospace, need for Kaveri engine progress) → Conclusion: Balancing strategic autonomy with immediate operational readiness.

Essay Topic: Technological Sovereignty: The True Measure of a Modern Nation-State

Textbook Connections

Key Takeaway

The Tejas Mk-1A program has transitioned from a localized R&D project to a massive ₹62,000+ crore industrial ecosystem that secures India's airspace while managing a strategic $1 billion tech-bridge with the US.

All Events in This Story (4 items)

1. 2025-07-17 [Defense & Security] — LCA Tejas Mk 1A for IAF Modernisation
   The LCA Tejas Mk 1A, powered by GE F404 engines, is vital for the IAF's modernisation, with 12 jets to be delivered by the end of 2025; HAL plans to produce 16 aircraft per year. Features include AESA radar, EW suite, and BVR missiles like ASTRA, with a ₹5,375 crore engine deal and upcoming ₹67,000 crore order highlighting the strategic importance of this indigenous programme.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: LCA Tejas Mk 1A vital for IAF modernisation.

   Key Facts:

   • Aircraft: LCA Tejas Mk 1A
   • Engine: GE F404
   • Deliveries by end-2025: 12 jets
   • Planned production: 16 aircraft per year
   • Features: AESA radar, EW suite, BVR missiles (ASTRA)
   • Engine deal: ₹5,375 crore
2. 2025-09-27 [Defense & Security] — LCA Mk-1A Fighter Jet Deal
   The Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed a ₹62,370 crore contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for 97 Tejas Mk-1A fighter aircraft to enhance the operational capability of the IAF and strengthen defence preparedness. Deliveries will begin in 2027-28 and be completed over six years. The deal is expected to generate nearly 11,750 direct and indirect jobs annually during the production period.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: MoD signs ₹62,370 crore contract for 97 Tejas Mk-1A fighter aircraft.

   Key Facts:

   • Contract value: ₹62,370 crore
   • Aircraft: 97 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), Tejas Mark-1A variant
   • Order composition: 68 single-seater fighter jets and 29 twin-seaters
   • Delivery to begin: 2027-28
   • Delivery completion: over six years
   • Implementing agency: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)
3. 2025-11-08 [Defense & Security] — HAL Signs $1-Billion Deal with GE Aerospace for Fighter Jet Engines
   Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has signed a $1-billion agreement with GE Aerospace (USA) to procure 113 F404-GE-IN20 jet engines for India's indigenous Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). The GE-F404 engines will be delivered to HAL between 2027 and 2032, with the LCA Mk-1As replacing the IAF's MiG-21 fighter jets.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: HAL signs $1B deal with GE for Tejas LCA jet engines.

   Key Facts:

   • HAL signed $1-billion deal with GE Aerospace
   • Procure 113 F404-GE-IN20 jet engines
   • Engines for India's indigenous Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA)
   • Delivery between 2027 and 2032
   • LCA Mk-1As will replace IAF's MiG-21 fighter jets
4. 2026-02-14 [Defense & Security] — HAL's TEJAS MK-1A Program Reaches Production Milestones
   Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh announced that the TEJAS MK-1A program is progressing well, with five aircraft currently flying and production lines stabilized across HAL and domestic suppliers. An additional nine aircraft are constructed and awaiting GE engines to complete their preparation.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: TEJAS MK-1A program progressing well, production lines stabilized.

   Key Facts:

   • Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh
   • TEJAS MK-1A program
   • Five aircraft airborne
   • Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)
   • Domestic suppliers
   • Nine aircraft awaiting GE engines
   • HAL confirmed readiness of five TEJAS MK-1A jets for delivery on February 5
   • Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative