India’s State-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and General Electric (GE) Aerospace signed a $1 billion deal to procure 113 F404-GE-IN20 jet engines to power an advanced variant of India’s home-grown Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk-1A. These jets are crucial for India’s air force, which faces regional threats.
This deal, sealed signals a warming of defense ties between India and the U.S. The F404-powered Tejas jet is a single-engine, multi-role fighter designed for air defense, maritime reconnaissance, and strike operations in high-threat environments.
Key details of the agreement:
Quantity: 113 F404 jet engines.
Estimated Value: $1 billion, including engine supply and a support package.
Delivery Schedule: Supplies are scheduled to begin in 2027 and be completed by 2032.
The Tejas program has faced previous rollout delays, primarily due to slow deliveries of an earlier order of 99 GE engines placed in 2021. Of that order, only four have been delivered so far, with GE citing post-COVID-19 supply chain issues as the reason for missing deadlines. This new agreement moves forward regardless of those past difficulties.
Last updated: December 26th, 2025
