HAL Chairman Reaffirms GE-414 as Core Engine for TEJAS MK-2
The ramping up is taking place. GE had promised us 12 engines in a year, but perhaps now we will get 12 engines by the end of the financial year: HAL Chief D K Sunil
By R Anil Kumar
Bengaluru. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has strongly reaffirmed that the TEJAS MK-2 fighter jet is being designed specifically around the GE F414 engine, dismissing speculation that alternative French-made engines are under consideration.
According to HAL’s Chairman, D K Sunil, the TEJAS MK-2 airframe, weight distribution, cooling systems, and thrust requirements are all optimised for the F414 platform, making any consideration of another engine design incompatible and unnecessary.
This underlines HAL’s confidence in GE’s proven turbofan technology and its long-standing integration with Indian fighter programs.
Responding to recent reports suggesting India may explore French propulsion solutions, HAL clarified that such claims are unfounded. The Chairman pointed out that introducing another engine type would not only require extensive redesigns but also delay timelines for prototype rollouts and induction planning.
“As far as my knowledge goes, there is no discussion about the French engine as far as LCM Mk2 is concerned. LCM Mk2 has been designed around the 414 Engine… Our negotiations are at an advanced stage with GE. We have already had six rounds of meetings. Another round will happen now in the USA in the first week of October. We are moving at a good pace… I don’t think whatever is happening about the tariff has any impact on our discussions with GE,” Sunil said.
“First an engine is identified for the role and then the aircraft is built around that. It is not easy to just pull it out… Even if you wanted to change a car engine, it would be difficult; and we are talking about a fighter. Comments (on social media) are made without knowing the complexity of the issue,” he said.
“But you can look at any aircraft manufacturer in the world. It’s always that you select the engine and then build the aircraft. This is probably an uninformed discussion or speculation,” he added.
This year, we may get 10. We will get the remaining by March. We have already built the 10th aircraft, and the 11th aircraft is ready… They are now sorting out their supply chain,” he said.
“The basic problems are done, and now the production will ramp up… Next year, they have promised us 20 engines. We have had a meeting with their top management and they are also sharing a lot of information on a regular basis about where the engine is, what the issues are. The communication has improved and we are confident that they will be able to now ramp up and meet our requirement,” he added.
On the 113 follow-on GE-404 engines, he said HAL expects to sign the contract in October. “The contract will be worth more than 1 billion. The contract negotiations are done, and the price is finalised. We are only going through the contract details, and we have to sign. Now that this main contract is signed, in October, we will sign the contract with GE for 113 engines,” he said.
Mega LCA Mk1A Contract
Earlier in the day, the Ministry of Defence signed a contract with HAL for procurement of 97 LCA Mk1A aircraft for the Indian Air Force, including 68 fighters and 29 twin seaters, at a cost of over Rs 62,370 crore (excluding taxes)approximating to US $ 7.4 Billion. Deliveries will begin in 2027-28 and conclude over six years.
Calling it a landmark moment, Sunil said: “This follow-on order of 97 LCA Tejas Mark 1 Alpha. This is a follow-on order with the fighters and trainers.
There will be 70% indigenous content in this order as compared to the earlier one… We will integrate the indigenous radar, EW suite, and many other equipment. This allows us to continue our supply chain. We have already concluded the follow-on order of 113 engines with General Electric.”
“Now we will be signing the contract with them. This is a very good vote of confidence by the Government of India. The work HAL is doing and the indigenous content and the ecosystem we are building and working, it is an excellent example of how the government is walking the talk of Atmanirbharta and giving orders so that this will generate jobs downstream, not only in HAL but downstream in all our ecosystem… It is a very big boost for Atmanirbharta,” he added.
Boost to Jobs and Industry
On the broader economic impact, Sunil said the project would generate jobs and strengthen India’s private aerospace ecosystem.
“… In this aircraft, roughly 50% is the material content… These materials could be equipment, metal, any spare part or whatever we build; they are all going to come mostly from the Indian private sector… A huge number of crores will go into the indigenous supply chain that will have this downstream effect of creating jobs,” he said.
“We are trying to build those supply chains to reach the 70%. When these new indigenous radars, Uttam, Swayam or the Kavach, …are going to be made in India. There will be a spin-off of all these companies, which will generate lots of jobs… It is going to be a very big benefit for the whole ecosystem,” he added.
On the matter of international trade tensions, particularly U.S. tariffs imposed on Indian goods, HAL emphasised that these economic measures have no bearing on Indo-U.S. defence collaboration. Negotiations with GE for expanding production and potential technology transfer of the F414 engine remain unaffected.
The U.S.-India agreement signed earlier ensures supply of GE F414 engines for TEJAS MK-2 and lays the groundwork for local manufacturing partnerships. Production in India is set to be scaled up under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, with safeguards in place to ensure engine supply security and reduced foreign dependency.
HAL’s statement reaffirms India’s thrust towards self-reliance in combat aircraft development while maintaining international technology partnerships where they bring proven reliability and performance.
