A Billion-Dollar Boost for Tejas
India’s $1 billion agreement with US-based General Electric (GE) for F404 engines marks a pivotal chapter in the country’s defense modernization journey. Under the deal, GE will deliver engines to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) between 2027 and 2032 to power the Tejas Mk1A Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). This is not merely an arms contract—it is one of India’s most consequential defense technology collaborations with the United States.
Yet, the deal underscores a paradox. Even as India champions Atmanirbhar Bharat—its drive for self-reliance—the Tejas program continues to depend on foreign propulsion systems. The challenge, therefore, lies not in ambition, but in balancing modernization with strategic dependence.
The Tejas Journey: From Vision to Validation
Born out of India’s ambition to replace the aging MiG-21 fleet, the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft project represents decades of indigenous engineering effort. Managed by HAL and the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), Tejas is the centerpiece of India’s plan to maintain 42 operational combat squadrons in the Indian Air Force (IAF).
The Mk1A variant—more advanced and combat-ready—embodies this vision. Compact yet powerful, it depends on the GE F404 engine, which delivers around 85 kN of thrust, enabling high maneuverability and multirole flexibility. However, that same dependence exposes the Achilles’ heel of India’s aerospace sector: the absence of an indigenous, combat-grade jet engine.
Strategic and Industrial Dimensions
The F404 deal must be read as both a strategic necessity and a pragmatic compromise. HAL’s assembly line relies on consistent engine deliveries to meet IAF induction targets. With previous orders—such as the 99 F404 engines contracted in 2021—facing delays, the new agreement provides long-term supply assurance, allowing HAL to plan around predictable inflows even as it clears earlier backlogs.
For GE, the deal cements its growing role in India’s defense industrial ecosystem. It aligns with the broader Indo-US framework under the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET), which promotes high-end technology cooperation. The contract’s timing reflects a deepening trust between New Delhi and Washington—both motivated by shared strategic concerns in the Indo-Pacific and a desire to diversify defense dependencies beyond Russia.
Technology Transfer and the Road Ahead
Unlike earlier procurements, New Delhi has signaled a stronger push for technology sharing and co-development. The F404 engines serve as a bridge to a far more significant collaboration—the F414 engine program—which will power the next-generation Tejas Mk2 and the Twin Engine Deck-Based Fighter (TEDBF) for the Indian Navy.
Crucially, the United States has approved in-country manufacturing of F414 engines, marking a major step toward the transfer of sophisticated turbine technologies. For India, long frustrated by limited access to core jet-engine know-how, this development could unlock long-term capability building.
Strategically, this shift also mirrors India’s recalibration toward Western defense ecosystems. With Russia’s industrial output hampered by the Ukraine conflict, India’s reliance on diversified partnerships has become not just practical, but necessary for sustained modernization.
Persistent Gaps and the Engine of Self-Reliance
Despite progress, India’s challenges remain structural. The delay in the 2021 GE-F404 order highlights the fragility of global supply chains and India’s limited domestic infrastructure for testing and certification. These issues risk cascading delays in Tejas production between 2027 and 2032.
More fundamentally, while India has achieved commendable self-reliance in airframe design, avionics, and radar systems, propulsion technology remains an unfulfilled ambition. The Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE)’s Kaveri engine program—once envisioned as India’s indigenous powerplant—has yet to achieve operational readiness. GE’s involvement, while valuable, serves as both collaboration and cautionary tale: a reminder that self-reliance cannot rest solely on licensed production.
Between Dependence and Destiny
The $1 billion F404 engine deal embodies the duality of India’s defense modernization—ambitious yet reliant, strategic yet constrained. It ensures the continuity of the Tejas program, deepens Indo-US defense ties, and symbolizes India’s rise as a credible aerospace player.
But to truly power its future fighters from within, India must move from assembly to innovation—from licensed manufacturing to indigenous mastery. The Tejas, propelled today by imported engines, remains a testament to India’s progress—and a challenge to its next leap toward genuine strategic autonomy.
(With agency inputs)
