New Delhi – Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) closed a major deal with U.S.-based General Electric (GE) on Friday, securing 113 high‑power jet engines for India’s next‑generation fighter, the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mark‑1A. The contract – valued at about Rs 62,370 crore – covers the F404‑GE‑IN20 engines and a full support package for 97 new Tejas Mk1A fighters, of which 68 will be single‑seat and 29 twin‑seat versions.
The engines and services will arrive in stages from 2027 to 2032, matching the rollout plan for the 97‑aircraft order that HAL announced in September. Deliveries for the new fighters are slated to begin in fiscal year 2028 and wrap up in six years.
The LCA Tejas Mk1A is a key part of India’s “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” initiative, which seeks to boost domestic defence production. By sourcing engines from GE, HAL keeps the aircraft’s development firmly in Indian hands while leveraging proven power‑plant technology.
HAL is also pushing its footprint in civil aviation. Earlier this month, the company signed an agreement with Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) to jointly build the SJ‑100 regional jet in Moscow. The SJ‑100 already flies worldwide and can help India expand short‑haul connectivity under the UDAN scheme. HAL will manufacture the aircraft in India, potentially adding more than 200 regional jets to the country’s fleet over the next decade, and could produce up to 350 additional planes for the Indian Ocean region to serve nearby tourist hubs.
In short, HAL’s new GE engine deal and the SJ‑100 partnership signals that India is rapidly growing its aerospace industry, from cutting‑edge fighter jets to modern regional planes that will connect the nation and beyond.
Source: ianslive
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