Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh, Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force (IAF), flew a Tejas Light Combat Aircraft Mk-1 from Jodhpur on October 11 during the multinational Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026. The sortie was reported as his final flight before his scheduled retirement on October 31.
The flight placed India’s indigenous fighter programme in the spotlight at a time when the IAF is preparing for the next stage of Tejas development. While the existing Tejas Mk-1 is already in operational service, the more advanced Mk-1A variant has faced delays linked to engine availability, aircraft integration and testing requirements.
Editorial Insight
Key Highlights
Important points readers should notice.
Issue/Event: Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh flew a Tejas Mk-1 during Exercise Tarang Shakti, in what was reported as his final sortie before retirement.
Location: Air Force Station Jodhpur, Rajasthan.
Authority/Organisation: Indian Air Force, Ministry of Defence and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
Action Taken: The IAF chief flew the Mk-1 on October 11 during the multinational exercise. Separately, the Mk-1A programme continues through engine supply, systems integration, testing and certification stages.
Impact: The sortie renewed attention on India’s indigenous fighter programme, while the delayed Mk-1A induction remains important to the IAF’s fleet-modernisation plans.
The distinction matters because the two variants occupy different stages of the programme. The Mk-1 has already entered IAF service, while the Mk-1A is intended to bring additional capabilities and support the expansion of the Tejas fleet. The first Mk-1A aircraft have yet to be formally inducted into the IAF, according to reporting available as of October 12.
Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026: What happened at Jodhpur?
Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026 was hosted by the Indian Air Force from September 26 to October 12, with Air Force Station Jodhpur serving as a key venue. The exercise brought together air forces from friendly foreign countries for joint training, mission planning and the exchange of operational experience.
Editorial Analysis
Why This Matters
The Tejas Mk-1A is a significant part of India’s plan to expand its domestically developed fighter fleet. The two Mk-1A contracts cover 180 aircraft, making timely production and delivery a major issue for the IAF and HAL. Delays affect the schedule on which the Air Force can add new aircraft and plan the replacement of older platforms. However, production figures and contract totals alone do not measure operational strength: aircraft must be delivered, accepted and supported before they can contribute to frontline units. Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh’s final reported Tejas sortie also highlights the distinction between the Mk-1 already in service and the Mk-1A still awaiting induction. For the programme, the next milestones are completion of remaining technical work, the required clearances and formal delivery to the Air Forc
According to the Ministry of Defence, participating air forces included Australia, Bangladesh, France, Germany, Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates and the United States. Thirty-two other nations participated as observers.
The exercise was designed to improve cooperation and interoperability between participating air forces. Its training programme covered contemporary air-combat requirements and the coordination needed to operate aircraft and personnel from different countries in a shared exercise environment.
The Indian Air Force also showcased indigenous platforms, including the Tejas light combat aircraft and the Light Combat Helicopter Prachand. The presence of these aircraft highlighted India’s efforts to develop and manufacture more of its military aviation equipment domestically.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh addressed participants at Jodhpur on October 10, emphasising the value of international cooperation and the role of indigenous capabilities in India’s defence preparedness.
Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh’s Tejas sortie took place during the exercise’s final phase. Beyond its significance as a personal milestone ahead of retirement, the flight drew attention to the aircraft programme that has become an important component of India’s long-term fighter modernisation plans.
Tejas Mk-1 and Mk-1A: Understanding the difference
The Tejas is a single-engine, multirole light combat aircraft developed in India. It is intended to perform a range of fighter missions, with its configuration and equipment designed around the operational requirements of the Indian Air Force.
The Tejas Mk-1 is the version already inducted into IAF service. It has undergone successive development and production stages, and the Air Force operates aircraft built to different approved standards.
The Tejas Mk-1A is a follow-on version intended to incorporate further improvements. Its development includes enhanced systems and avionics, including an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, electronic-warfare equipment and other changes intended to improve operational capability and maintainability.
The Mk-1A is not simply a new name for the existing aircraft. Its production and induction require the relevant systems to be integrated, tested and cleared for operational use.
That process has taken longer than originally planned. Engine availability has been a major bottleneck, while integration of the radar, weapons-related controls and electronic-warfare systems has also required additional work.
Why has the Tejas Mk-1A induction been delayed?
The first Tejas Mk-1A contract was signed in February 2021 for 83 aircraft. Deliveries were originally scheduled to begin in February 2024. That target was missed, and the first aircraft had not been formally delivered to the IAF by October 12, 2026.
One major constraint has been the supply of F404-IN20 engines from GE Aerospace. These engines are required to power the Mk-1A. In an update reported on October 7, GE said it had shipped four engines during September, bringing the total number supplied for the programme to 14.
Engine deliveries are only one part of the process. The aircraft must also complete the necessary systems integration, testing and certification requirements before they can be accepted for operational service.
Reporting in early October indicated that a small number of radar-related integration issues remained under work and that the IAF and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) were expected to hold a review meeting after mid-October. The outcome of that review, together with the completion of required clearances, will influence the induction timeline.
The distinction between an aircraft being built and an aircraft being ready for service is important. Production airframes, engine installation, testing, acceptance and formal delivery are separate stages. A claim that aircraft are ready on the production line does not by itself mean they have been handed over to the Air Force.
What is the current induction timeline?
The IAF and HAL have been working towards bringing the first Mk-1A aircraft into service during the 2026–27 financial year. HAL’s reported target is to deliver a first squadron of approximately 16–18 aircraft by March 2027.
That remains a target, not a confirmed delivery date. Progress depends on the availability of engines, completion of integration work, airworthiness clearance and the final acceptance process.
The IAF and HAL were expected to review the programme after mid-October. Until the outcome of that review and any formal delivery announcement are available, the timeline should be treated as provisional.
The government and the aircraft manufacturer face the challenge of completing the remaining work while ensuring that the aircraft meets the required technical and operational standards. Accelerating induction cannot replace the testing and certification needed for safe service entry.
India’s Tejas order book
The Mk-1A programme has expanded beyond its original contract. In February 2021, the Ministry of Defence signed a contract with HAL for 83 Tejas Mk-1A aircraft. A second contract for 97 additional aircraft was signed in September 2025.
Together, the two orders cover 180 Mk-1A fighters. The scale of the programme makes the delivery schedule important not only for HAL’s production planning but also for the IAF’s fleet-modernisation requirements.
The aircraft are expected to strengthen the Air Force’s indigenous fighter inventory over time. However, the number of aircraft ordered should not be confused with the number already delivered or available for operational deployment.
The Mk-1A delays have attracted attention because the IAF must manage its existing fleet while replacing older aircraft and maintaining adequate fighter strength. Air Chief Marshal Singh has publicly highlighted the need for faster fighter induction and the operational implications of delays.
The Tejas programme therefore has two connected priorities: completing the Mk-1A’s remaining technical work and building a reliable production and delivery schedule for the larger order.
Why the final sortie matters
Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh’s flight in the Mk-1 came during a period of transition for both the Air Force leadership and the Tejas programme. The sortie offered a visible reminder of the aircraft already operating in the IAF, even as the next variant awaits formal induction.
The flight should not be interpreted as an announcement that the Mk-1A has entered service. The aircraft flown was the Mk-1, and the Mk-1A programme remains subject to its separate delivery and certification process.
For India’s indigenous aerospace effort, the immediate test is whether the production pipeline can move from manufacturing and testing to timely delivery. The 180-aircraft Mk-1A order represents a substantial commitment, but its operational contribution will depend on aircraft being accepted and inducted as planned.
Exercise Tarang Shakti, meanwhile, demonstrated the IAF’s ability to host multinational training and bring Indian-developed platforms into a wider international setting. The exercise and the Tejas sortie together highlighted both the progress already made in indigenous aviation and the work still required to expand the fleet.
