HAL Seals Agreement with GE Aerospace for 113 F404 Engines for Tejas

 Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has sealed a landmark agreement with GE Aerospace to procure 113 F404-GE-IN20 engines along with a comprehensive support package to power the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk1A programme. The new deal, announced in November 2025, will ensure the continuity of Tejas production through the early 2030s, marking a key step in India’s aerospace self-reliance drive.

The engine acquisition supports the ₹62,370 crore contract that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed with HAL on September 25, 2025, for 97 new Tejas Mk1A aircraft — comprising 68 single-seat and 29 twin-seat fighters for the Indian Air Force (IAF). This order expands the indigenous fighter fleet and gives HAL a clear production roadmap for the next decade.

Scope and Delivery Timeline

Under the fresh agreement, GE Aerospace will supply 113 F404-GE-IN20 engines — including installed units, spares, and support kits — between 2027 and 2032. The timeline has been aligned with the IAF’s Mk1A delivery schedule, ensuring that propulsion availability matches HAL’s growing assembly capacity in Bengaluru and Nashik.

The number of engines ordered exceeds the number of aircraft to account for spares, test usage, and attrition reserves, following standard IAF logistics practice. HAL officials have confirmed that the deal includes an engine maintenance and technical support package, which will help the company streamline the fleet’s life-cycle management during initial service years.

Building on Earlier Orders

This latest deal builds on HAL’s earlier procurement of 99 F404-GE-IN20 engines from GE in 2021, valued at around US$716 million (approximately ₹6,000 crore). That earlier order was meant to power the first batch of 83 Tejas Mk1A aircraft, contracted by the MoD in February 2021.

However, global supply-chain disruptions and the need to restart GE’s F404 production line delayed initial deliveries. Over the last two years, deliveries have gradually resumed — a steady sign that the programme has regained momentum.

On September 30, 2025, GE Aerospace officially handed over the fourth F404-GE-IN20 engine to HAL at its Bengaluru facility, marking another milestone in fulfilling the 2021 contract. The earlier three engines were delivered After July-2025. This progress demonstrates that GE’s engine production cadence has begun stabilizing, paving the way for larger-scale deliveries under the new 2025 agreement. GE Commits to Ramp Up F404 Engine Production for HAL, Targets 24 Units Per Year by 2027

HAL’s Expanding Production Ecosystem

HAL has aggressively expanded its manufacturing footprint to handle the combined orders for 180+ Tejas Mk1A aircraft (83 from 2021 and 97 from 2025). A new Tejas assembly line was inaugurated in Nashik in October 2025, in addition to the existing Bengaluru lines. Once fully operational, HAL will be capable of producing 24 aircraft per year — double its previous rate.

However, the company’s production speed is closely tied to the timely availability of engines and imported components such as radars, EW suites, and flight-control actuators. The new 113-engine GE deal is therefore seen as removing a critical bottleneck that had constrained earlier deliveries.

The HAL–GE Aerospace agreement for 113 F404-GE-IN20 engines is more than a procurement contract — it’s a structural enabler for India’s indigenous fighter ecosystem. With the first batch of engines from the 2021 deal already in HAL’s possession (the fourth handed over on September 30, 2025), and the next wave of 113 engines scheduled between 2027 and 2032, India’s Tejas Mk1A programme now has a clear propulsion roadmap.

This ensures HAL’s assembly lines can operate without critical delays, strengthens the Indian Air Force’s modernization drive, and positions the Tejas as a cornerstone of India’s long-term aerospace independence.