The Air Chief pointed to multiple cases of delayed defence systems, especially those involving indigenous development. Referring to the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) programme, he said that deliveries of the Tejas Mk1A fighter jet, part of a Rs 48,000 crore contract with HAL have not begun yet.
Indian Air Force Chief Amar Preet Singh on Thursday highlighted a crucial aspect plaguing the Indian defence equipment manufacturing, noting that none of the projects he can recall have been delivered on time to the force, including the Tejas Mk1A fighter jet.
Speaking at the CII Annual Business Summit 2025 in Delhi, the air chief marshal raised concerns over these persistent delays in defence projects that are presented with impractical timelines and the impact such things have on operational readiness.
He highlighted the recurring pattern of delays in project execution and criticised the tendency to commit to unrealistic deadlines.
His comments come amid ongoing challenges in several projects, including the delivery of aircraft that has drawn criticism from the Air Chief for failing to meet scheduled timelines.
“Timelines are a major concern. I cannot recall a single project that has been completed on time. This is something we must examine closely,” said Air Marshal Singh. He added, “Why should we promise something we know cannot be delivered? Often, even at the time of signing the contract, we are aware that the deadlines are unachievable. Yet, we proceed. This compromises the entire process.”
The Air Chief pointed to multiple cases of delayed defence systems, especially those involving indigenous development. Referring to the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) programme, he said that deliveries of the Tejas Mk1A fighter jet, part of a Rs 48,000 crore contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) signed in February 2021, have not begun. None of the 83 ordered aircraft have been delivered, though deliveries were initially scheduled to start in March 2024.
He stressed that delays have impacted several critical projects. “Tejas Mk1A deliveries are behind schedule. The prototype of the Tejas Mk2 is yet to be rolled out. We still do not have a prototype of the stealth AMCA fighter,” said Air Chief Marshal Singh during his address at the CII Annual Business Summit, which was also attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
