SOURCE: AFI
As India’s indigenous fighter development matures, concerns over supply chain disruptions—especially in engine procurement—have become more pressing. The Tejas Mk-2, which is poised to replace legacy platforms such as the Mirage 2000, Jaguar, and MiG-29 in the Indian Air Force (IAF), simply cannot afford to face the kind of delays currently affecting the Tejas Mk-1A program, says Pathikrit Payne, Senior Research Fellow at the Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation.
In a recent commentary, Payne emphasized the strategic vulnerability stemming from engine dependency, particularly following recent delays in the delivery of GE F404 engines for the Tejas Mk-1A. These delays—blamed on global supply chain constraints—have already impacted production timelines and raised questions about long-term reliability.
“The Tejas Mk-2 is a far more critical project than its predecessor. It is meant to shoulder a major share of the IAF’s future combat capability. Any uncertainty regarding the engine supply, especially at this scale, could have serious operational repercussions,” said Payne.
While India has already signed a deal with General Electric for the production of F414 engines in India for the Tejas Mk-2, Payne argues that it is vital for India to diversify its options, especially considering the evolving geopolitical landscape.
Alternative Options: Russia and France
According to Payne, India must start proactively exploring alternatives from trusted defence partners such as Russia and France, who have a long-standing history of defence cooperation with New Delhi. Russia’s RD-93MA engine (used on the Mig-35) and France’s M88 engine (used on the Rafale) could be adapted with modifications, or serve as inspiration for a co-development program for a future indigenous engine.
“The objective is not to replace the F414 immediately, but to have fallback options or parallel tracks in case of disruptions. A diversified engine ecosystem also strengthens India’s defence industrial base and provides negotiating leverage,” he said.
India’s long-standing plans for an indigenous engine development program under the GTX-35VS Kaveri project, as well as discussions of collaboration with Safran for a next-generation fighter engine, must also be revived and accelerated.
The Tejas Mk-2 is expected to begin induction in the early 2030s and will play a central role in India’s tactical airpower for decades. Ensuring its production is not held hostage to any one supplier is vital to maintaining India’s strategic autonomy.
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