New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Friday warned that delays in defence projects could create capability gaps, escalate costs and even render technology obsolete by the time it reaches the armed forces.
His remarks came as state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) finally completed its original Tejas Mk1 order, nearly a decade after the contractual deadline.
HAL handed over the last two Tejas Mk1 FOC twin-seater trainers to the Indian Air Force at a ceremony in Bengaluru attended by Singh and IAF chief Air Chief Marshal A P Singh.
The company also handed over three HTT-40 basic trainers to the IAF and four Dhruv NG helicopters to Pawan Hans.
Speaking at the ceremony, Singh said delays in technology projects needed to be taken seriously as they could create gaps in meeting critical defence requirements and lead to cost escalation.
“There are some issues on which we have to work. Among them one of the important issues is delays,” Singh said.
He also warned about the risk of technology becoming obsolete before it reaches the armed forces. “We all know about technology obsoletion…we have to keep the timelines realistic.”
Singh’s remarks came as HAL completed an order for 40 Tejas Mk1 aircraft that dates back to 2006 and 2010.
The IAF had placed the first order for 20 Tejas Mk1 aircraft on 31 March 2006, comprising 16 fighters and four trainers, with deliveries scheduled to be completed by December 2011.
On 23 December 2010, the IAF placed another order for 20 Mk1 aircraft in FOC configuration, comprising 16 fighters and four trainers. The contractual deadline for this order was December 2016.
The delivery of the final two trainers therefore comes almost 10 years after the contractual deadline for the second order.
The completion of the 40-aircraft order now turns the spotlight on the Tejas Mk1A programme, where the IAF is yet to receive its first aircraft.
The IAF ordered 83 Mk1As—73 fighters and 10 trainers—from HAL in 2021 for around Rs 48,000 crore. Under the contract, the first aircraft was to be delivered within three years, by February 2024, with the entire order to be completed over nine years.
The first Mk1A, LA-5033, however, made its maiden flight only in March 2024. More than two years later, HAL is yet to hand over a single Mk1A to the IAF.
HAL CMD Ravi K said on Friday that the company has completed 27 Mk1A airframes but one or two outstanding issues, including AESA radar integration and missile-related testing, were holding up delivery of the first batch.
He said HAL had received 10 GE engines and was working towards completing the remaining tests.
Sources said work still remains on the first Mk1A and it is unlikely that the aircraft will be formally delivered before Air Chief Marshal A P Singh’s retirement at the end of October.
The HTT-40 handover also marked the delivery of a programme that HAL initiated in 2009.
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
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