Bengaluru: In candid remarks caught on camera, Indian Air Force (IAF) chief A. P. Singh criticised the state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for its tardy pace of manufacturing the Tejas fighters.
Air Chief Marshal Singh made the remarks at Aero India while seated in the cockpit of an HJT-36 Yashas. While being briefed by HAL officials, the IAF chief was heard lamenting that HAL is not in mission mode.
“I can only tell you what our requirements and our worries are. You have to alleviate those worries and make us more confident. At the moment I am just not confident of HAL, which is a very wrong thing to happen,” he told the HAL officials.
The conversation was recorded by a defence YouTube channel and posted on its account.
“HAL is our company, we have all worked there. But I find that HAL is just not in mission mode,” the IAF chief further said.
Even as HAL showcased three Tejas Mk-1A at Aero India, which flew, the IAF chief was forthright in saying that they were Mk-1A only in name and not capability.
“I was promised that when I come here in February, 11 Tejas Mk-1A would be ready. And not a single one is ready…The aircraft that you flew, calling it Mk-1A, is not Mk-1A. It cannot happen just by change of one software or by looks. When the weapons come and the capability comes, then it’s a Mk-1A,” he said.
He was referring to the fact that weapons firing trials are yet to be completed for the aircraft.
As HAL officials responded saying his words were “duly noted”, the IAF chief said, “I will be the happiest person if I’m proved wrong. I feel that only a few are putting in any effort.”
He further said: “Or maybe everyone is putting in effort in their own silos without looking at the overall picture. Something has to change. Some drastic change. This needs a magic wand so everything gets aligned. It’s high time.”
The IAF chief has in the past too lamented the slow pace of Tejas production.
Against the sanctioned strength of 42 fighter squadrons, the IAF is down to a mere 31 and that too on paper.
The last of the two MiG squadrons, which have been merged as one and which were to be phased out this year, are likely to be kept flying to ensure the strength does not fall below 30.
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
Also Read: Tejas Mk-1A delivery to start by 2nd quarter of 2025, contract for 97 more & combat helicopters soon