Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has signed a $1 billion agreement with GE Aerospace for 113 engines to power additional Tejas fighter jets. The deal supports the Indian Air Force's order of 97 LCA Mk-1A aircraft. This comes amid ongoing efforts to enhance military readiness.
On Friday, November 8, 2025, state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) announced a major agreement with US-based GE Aerospace for the supply of 113 F404-IN20 engines, valued at over $1 billion. These engines will power 97 additional Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk-1A Tejas jets ordered by India's defence ministry to bolster the Indian Air Force's (IAF) capabilities.
The deal includes a support package for executing the 97-aircraft programme, as stated in HAL's post on X. Negotiations between HAL and GE had been ongoing for several months. In total, HAL is set to deliver 180 LCA Mk-1A to the IAF: an initial order of 83 aircraft worth ₹48,000 crore was signed in 2021, with deliveries scheduled to begin last year but delayed pending final certification, including weapon integration and firing tests.
So far, HAL has received four F404 engines from GE and has constructed 10 aircraft, though deliveries of the initial batch have not yet started. HAL Chairman and Managing Director DK Sunil, in a September interview with The Indian Express, praised the F404 engines as 'wonderful' and 'proven to be reliable.' He emphasized the need for continuous orders to avoid supply chain bottlenecks with global aerospace partners.
Additionally, HAL and GE are in discussions to finalize joint production of F414 engines for the upcoming LCA Mk-2 jets. A key milestone occurred last month when the LCA Tejas Mk-1A completed its first public sortie at HAL's facility in Nashik, advancing its production journey.