Desk: Indian Air Force Chief, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, has expressed his dissatisfaction with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the company responsible for manufacturing the Tejas fighter jets. He openly stated that he no longer has confidence in HAL due to continuous delays in aircraft deliveries. This is not the first time that HAL has been criticized by defense officials for delays.
According to a Times of India report, a video surfaced on Monday where Singh said, “You need to address our concerns and assure us. At this moment, I do not trust HAL, which is a very bad thing.” He further added, “I can tell you (HAL) what our needs and concerns are.” His statement has reportedly sparked controversy.
HAL has cited the sanctions imposed after India’s 1998 nuclear tests as one of the key reasons for the delay. Responding to the Air Force Chief’s concerns, HAL CMD DK Sunil said, “Let me explain. You are aware that after India’s 1998 nuclear tests, we faced sanctions. As a result, we had to develop things from scratch, which took a lot of effort. The delay cannot simply be blamed on negligence.”
He further acknowledged the Air Force Chief’s concerns, stating, “We understand his worries because the squadron strength is decreasing. We assure you that we will strengthen the structure. We have addressed this issue in several high-level meetings.”
On Tuesday, HAL also stated that they are committed to delivering 11 Tejas Mk-1A aircraft by the end of March. According to reports, HAL is also negotiating an 80% technology transfer deal with the American company General Electric (GE) for the GE-414 engine, which powers different variants of the Tejas fighter jets.