NEW DELHI: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited chairman DK Sunil on Thursday said American firm General Electric has assured the delivery of 20 F404 engines by Dec and that HAL expects to receive a sixth GE engine for the LCA Tejas Mark 1A project by April-end.It is learnt that HAL is “imposing contractual penalties on GE” for delays in the supply of engines for the LCA Tejas jet and the penalties are being imposed on GE Aerospace as per the contract for 99 engines. In Feb 2021, the defence ministry had sealed a Rs 48,000-crore deal with HAL for the procurement of 83 Tejas Mk-1A for IAF.The ministry in Sept last year sealed another deal worth Rs 62,370 crore with HAL to procure 97 Tejas MK-1A light combat aircraft for IAF.On whether India is interested in buying Russia’s fifth-generation stealth fighter jet Su-57, the HAL chairman told the media, “I think presentations have been made regarding the Su-57 to the Air Force team by the Russian team regarding the capabilities of the aircraft. We are awaiting the Russian quotation about the investment. Then we will approach the Air Force that these are the kind of numbers required to produce these aircraft and these are the timelines.”K Sunil said the entire fleet of 34 Tejas will fly most likely from April 8 as the glitch found on board the aircraft’s software has been resolved. “All the Tejas jets are set to fly again from next Wednesday,” he said. The fleet was grounded in the first week of Feb after a Tejas jet sustained damage to its airframe after it overshot the runway at the airbase following a suspected brake failure.IAF is looking at inducting the Tejas fighter jets as the number of its fighter squadrons have gone down to 29 from officially sanctioned strength of 42.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos’Will Use India, Throw Under The Bus’: Ex-Pentagon Analyst Reveals US Policy Towards DelhiBangladesh PM Tarique Rahman To Visit India Soon As Delhi-Dhaka Reset Ties: ReportCongress Leader Anand Sharma Praises Modi Govt’s West Asia Diplomacy, Urges National Unity Amid WarIndian Navy Boosts Nuclear Deterrence With INS Aridhaman Submarine, Enforces Undersea Strike PowerWhy Did India-Bound Oil Tanker Carrying Iranian Crude Change Course At The Last Minute?India’s Medium Transport Aircraft Programme Gains Momentum, HAL Joins Global Firms In RaceBrahMos-Armed INS Taragiri Marks Major Leap In India’s Naval Strength And Self-RelianceWest Asia Crisis: India’s Balanced Approach Wins Global Trust As Pakistan’s Mediator Gamble Stumbles‘Ghar Wapsi Will Happen Soon’: Imam Ilyasi Predicts PoK ReunificationRajnath Singh’s ‘Decisive Action’ Warning Evokes Pakistan’s ‘Swift Response’: What Khawaja Asif Said123PhotostoriesPM Narendra Modi highlights ‘Modi Tea Stall’ in Puducherry: How chai holds India’s heartDipika Kakar gets emotional after cyst removal surgery, says “joh ye reoccurrence hua hai uske baad main thoda sa ghabra gayi hoon”7 saree styling hacks to look taller and slimmer instantlyRamayana actor Ravie Dubey’s wealth decoded: From luxury cars to a Rs 8 crore Mumbai penthouse, exploring his reported Rs 80 crore net worthHow to prepare your car for extreme off-road conditionsYour feet might look normal, but there are hidden signs which indicate severe damage and disease: How to recognise them7 key residential areas in Jaipur shaping the city’s real estate market11 royal meal experiences at the Maharajas’ Express that are not to be missedPrabhu Deva birthday special: ‘Muqabala’, ‘Urvasi’, ‘Kay Sera Sera’- Iconic songs choreographed by the dance maestroVikrant Massey birthday special: ‘12th Fail’, ‘Sector 36’ to ‘Haseen Dilruba’, a look at his most defining performances123Hot PicksTravis KelceOliver rowlandKick StreamerTiger WoodsCSK vs PBKS PreviewPublic holidays April 2026Bank Holidays AprilTop TrendingOil Price TodayGood Friday 2026India Labour CodeRandy GeorgeLuigi MangioneGucci ManeRaghav ChaddaHailee SteinfeldSchool Holidays in AprilIran war news
NEW DELHI: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited chairman DK Sunil on Thursday said American firm General Electric has assured the delivery of 20 F404 engines by Dec and that HAL expects to receive a sixth GE engine for the LCA Tejas Mark 1A project by April-end.It is learnt that HAL is “imposing contractual penalties on GE” for delays in the supply of engines for the LCA Tejas jet and the penalties are being imposed on GE Aerospace as per the contract for 99 engines. In Feb 2021, the defence ministry had sealed a Rs 48,000-crore deal with HAL for the procurement of 83 Tejas Mk-1A for IAF.The ministry in Sept last year sealed another deal worth Rs 62,370 crore with HAL to procure 97 Tejas MK-1A light combat aircraft for IAF.On whether India is interested in buying Russia’s fifth-generation stealth fighter jet Su-57, the HAL chairman told the media, “I think presentations have been made regarding the Su-57 to the Air Force team by the Russian team regarding the capabilities of the aircraft. We are awaiting the Russian quotation about the investment. Then we will approach the Air Force that these are the kind of numbers required to produce these aircraft and these are the timelines.”K Sunil said the entire fleet of 34 Tejas will fly most likely from April 8 as the glitch found on board the aircraft’s software has been resolved. “All the Tejas jets are set to fly again from next Wednesday,” he said. The fleet was grounded in the first week of Feb after a Tejas jet sustained damage to its airframe after it overshot the runway at the airbase following a suspected brake failure.IAF is looking at inducting the Tejas fighter jets as the number of its fighter squadrons have gone down to 29 from officially sanctioned strength of 42.
