GE Aerospace recently delivered three F404-IN20 engines to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for India's Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas program in August, providing a significant boost to the production of these indigenous fighter jets. Despite the confirmed shipment by GE Aerospace, HAL is still awaiting the physical receipt of the engines in Bengaluru, with expectations of receiving two next week and one later.

GE Aerospace recently delivered three F404-IN20 engines to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for India's Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas program in August, providing a significant boost to the production of these indigenous fighter jets. Despite the confirmed shipment by GE Aerospace, HAL is still awaiting the physical receipt of the engines in Bengaluru, with expectations of receiving two next week and one later.

GE Aerospace recently delivered three F404-IN20 engines to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for India's Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas program in August, providing a significant boost to the production of these indigenous fighter jets. Despite the confirmed shipment by GE Aerospace, HAL is still awaiting the physical receipt of the engines in Bengaluru, with expectations of receiving two next week and one later.

India's Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas programme, which has been plagued by delays mainly due to a hold-up in engine supplies, received another shot in the arm as US defence giant GE Aerospace confirmed recently that it delivered three more F404-IN20 engines to Tejas maker Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in August.

The company, in a statement, said, "GE Aerospace shipped three F404-IN20 engines to HAL in August 2026. We are proud to partner with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and the Indian Air Force to power India's indigenous fighter jets."

However, HAL is yet to receive the engines in Bengaluru, according to a report by The Hindu.

"We expect to receive two engines next week and one later," The Hindu quoted a HAL spokesperson as saying.

According to HAL, the company has so far received 10 engines, and if things proceed according to plan, the defence PSU will receive 22 engines by the end of the year.

Earlier, former HAL chairman D.K. Sunil had been quoted as saying that as many as 20 F404 engines would be received by the DPSU during the second half of 2026, between June and December.

The assurance assumes significance for the combat preparedness of the Indian Air Force, as engine scarcity has been a major factor affecting the production and delivery of the LCA Tejas Mk1A fighter jet.

"Last time, when I visited GE, the assurance was that they would give us 20 engines in the second half of this calendar year, between June and December. This is the indication from GE, and this is a pessimistic number; they have told me they should do better," Sunil had said.

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