India is finally set to induct its first two Tejas Mark-1A fighter jets later this month, replacing its ageing MiG-21 fleet after decades of delays and marking a milestone in its bid for military self-reliance, but analysts warn overreliance on foreign engines and production bottlenecks remain pressing concerns.
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Defence Secretary RK Singh announced the coming delivery on Saturday during a summit in New Delhi, describing it as part of a broader effort to build indigenous defence capabilities. The aircraft are manufactured by state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
“Tejas”, Singh said, “is going to replace the MiG-21 and become a workhorse for the Indian Air Force [IAF].”
Replacing the ageing MiG-21 fleet, long known as the “flying coffin”, with the Tejas Mark-1A is far more than a simple hardware upgrade, according to Gaurav Kumar, a researcher at the United Service Institution of India, a defence and security think tank.
“This isn’t just about adding planes to the fleet; it signals that India is serious about building operational credibility and producing indigenous platforms rather than relying on imports,” Kumar told This Week in Asia.
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“For the IAF, it addresses critical capability gaps – modern avionics, better weapons integration, improved maintainability and the ability to execute real missions reliably.”
