In a stark assessment of India’s defence preparedness, a senior Indian Air Force (IAF) official has stated that not a single defence project in the country is being delivered on time, with particular reference to the delayed delivery of the indigenous Tejas fighter jets by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari, Deputy Chief of the Air Staff, expressed serious concerns over the repeated delays during a high-level defence review meeting. “No defence project in India has ever been delivered on time,” he said, adding that such delays are weakening the IAF’s operational readiness.
Tiwari pointed to HAL’s failure to meet deadlines for the Rs 48,000 crore contract for 83 Tejas Mk1A fighter jets, signed in 2021 and expected to be delivered starting February 2024. As of mid-2025, HAL has not delivered a single aircraft under this order, raising alarms within the defence establishment.
The Air Marshal warned that delays in critical platforms like Tejas impact not just force levels but also long-term strategic planning. “The Indian Air Force has already reduced its squadron strength to 31 against the sanctioned 42. Timely induction of Tejas aircraft is essential to maintain combat capability,” he added.
The Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), a flagship ‘Make in India’ defence initiative, has long faced issues related to production rate, quality control, and component supply chains. HAL, however, claims that it is ramping up production capacity with support from private vendors to address the backlog.
Despite these assurances, the Air Marshal’s remarks underline growing frustration within the armed forces over project management and delivery timelines in India’s defence public sector undertakings.
Defence experts say the delay in delivery of Tejas Mk1A jets could also have implications for future deals and indigenous defence production credibility, particularly as India seeks to export the aircraft to friendly foreign nations.
The Ministry of Defence is expected to review HAL’s progress in an upcoming performance audit.
