It’s been a long road. Honestly, if you followed the Indian defense scene in the early 2000s, the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft felt like a punchline to a joke that wasn't particularly funny. People called it delayed. They called it obsolete before it even flew. Some even suggested scrapping the whole thing and just buying more Russian MiGs or French Mirages. But things look a lot different in 2026.
The HAL Tejas isn't just a "technology demonstrator" anymore. It's the backbone of a shifting IAF strategy.
When you look at the Tejas, you aren't just looking at a piece of hardware; you're looking at forty years of industrial struggle. The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) program started back in 1983. Think about that. Mobile phones didn't really exist. The internet was a research project. The goal was simple but terrifyingly ambitious: replace the aging MiG-21 fleet with a locally designed, unstable (for agility), fly-by-wire supersonic fighter.
Most countries fail at this. India didn't.
What the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft Actually Does (And Doesn't) Do
Let's get one thing straight. The Tejas is not an F-35. It’s not meant to be. If you're comparing it to a heavy, twin-engine stealth beast, you're missing the point entirely. The Tejas Light Combat Aircraft is a "Point Defense" fighter. Its job is to scramble quickly, get into the air, and intercept threats or perform precision strikes. It’s small. Really small. In fact, it's the smallest and lightest multi-role supersonic fighter in its class.
This small stature is its secret weapon.
Because it’s tiny and built with a massive amount of carbon fiber composites—about 45% of its airframe by weight—it has a very low radar cross-section compared to the older jets it replaces. It’s nimble. Thanks to that delta-wing design, it can turn on a dime in a dogfight, though it bleeds energy if the pilot isn't careful.
The Mk1A: The Real Turning Point
The initial Mk1 was... okay. It worked. But the Mk1A is where the Tejas actually became a modern threat. This version, which the Indian Air Force has ordered in huge numbers (83 units initially, followed by more), fixed the glaring issues.
What changed?
First, they threw in an EL/M-2052 AESA radar (or the indigenous Uttam in later batches). If you know anything about aerial combat, you know that the person who sees first, wins. AESA radar allows the Tejas to track multiple targets simultaneously without getting jammed easily. Then they added an Electronic Warfare (EW) suite and a self-protection jammer pod. Suddenly, this little jet could hold its own in a "contested environment."
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They also added a mid-air refueling probe. Earlier versions had to land way too often. Now, it can stay up there as long as the pilot's bladder holds out.
The Engine Debate: Why It’s Not 100% "Made in India"
Critics love to point out the engine. "It’s got an American heart!" they yell. And they're right. The Tejas runs on the General Electric F404-GE-IN20.
Is that a failure?
Not really. India tried to build its own engine, the Kaveri. It was a nightmare. Jet engines are arguably the hardest thing for humans to manufacture—harder than nuclear subs or space rockets. The Kaveri couldn't produce enough thrust without getting too heavy or melting itself. Instead of letting the whole Tejas project die because of the engine, the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) made the smart move: they imported the GE engines.
It’s a pragmatic trade-off. By using a reliable, world-class engine, they ensured the airframe could actually get into service. For the upcoming Tejas Mk2, which will be a bigger, "medium-weight" fighter, India has signed a massive deal with GE to manufacture the more powerful F414 engines right there in India with significant tech transfer.
Flying the Tejas: A Pilot’s Perspective
I’ve talked to folks who have spent time around the 45 Squadron (The Flying Daggers) and 18 Squadron (The Flying Bullets). The consensus? It's a "pilot's plane."
The quadruplex digital fly-by-wire system is the real star here. It makes the plane very easy to fly, even though the airframe is inherently unstable. In the old MiG-21s—often called "Flying Coffins" by the sensationalist press—the pilot spent half their brainpower just trying not to crash the thing. In the Tejas, the computer handles the stability. The pilot can focus on the mission.
The cockpit is "glass," meaning it's all screens and multi-function displays. It's clean. It's ergonomic. It’s a far cry from the cluttered, analog cockpits of the 1970s Soviet tech.
Open Architecture: The Software Secret
One thing most people overlook is the "Open Architecture Computer." Basically, the Tejas doesn't have its brains locked behind a proprietary wall. HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited) can integrate new weapons—like the indigenous Astra Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missile or the BrahMos-NG—without having to ask a foreign government for the source code.
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That is huge.
When you buy a jet from overseas, you're often stuck using their missiles. With the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft, if India develops a new smart bomb tomorrow, they can slap it on the jet and update the software themselves.
Addressing the "Tejas is Slow" Myth
You'll see people on forums complaining about its top speed of Mach 1.8. "The MiG-21 could do Mach 2.0!" they say.
Who cares?
Modern air combat isn't about drag racing in a straight line. It's about acceleration, turn rates, and missile range. A MiG-21 going Mach 2 is blind and deaf. A Tejas at Mach 1.6 with an AESA radar and an Astra missile will kill that MiG before the Russian pilot even knows there’s a fight happening.
The Navy Version: A Brilliant "Failure"
There was a Naval Tejas. It landed on the INS Vikramaditya and the INS Vikrant. It was an incredible feat of engineering—strengthening the landing gear to handle "controlled crashes" on a carrier deck is brutal work.
But the Navy eventually said, "No thanks, it's too small for us."
They wanted more payload and more range. While it sounds like a defeat, it wasn't. The Naval Tejas served as a technology bridge for the TEDBF (Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter). Everything HAL learned about arrested landings and carrier take-offs on the Tejas is being poured into the next-gen naval jet. Without the Tejas, the TEDBF wouldn't even be on the drawing board.
Comparing Tejas to the Competition
| Feature | Tejas Mk1A | JF-17 Block III (Pakistan/China) | JAS 39 Gripen (Sweden) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | GE F404 (USA) | RD-93 (Russia) / WS-13 | GE F404/F414 |
| Airframe | High Composite (Light) | Mostly Metal | High Composite |
| Radar | AESA (Israeli/Indian) | AESA (Chinese) | AESA (European) |
| Combat Radius | ~300-500 km | ~600-900 km | ~800 km |
The Tejas is often compared to the JF-17. It’s a heated debate. While the JF-17 has had more combat exposure and was developed much faster, the Tejas uses more advanced materials and generally has better Western-integrated electronics. The Gripen is the gold standard for light fighters, and while the Tejas isn't quite there yet in terms of multi-role maturity, it's significantly cheaper for India to operate.
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Why the World is Finally Watching
For a long time, the Tejas was an "India-only" project. Not anymore.
Countries in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and South America have started looking at the Tejas. Why? Because it’s a "no-strings-attached" fighter. If you buy American, you deal with CAATSA and political oversight. If you buy Russian, you deal with sanctions.
The Tejas offers a middle ground. It’s got high-end Western components (engine, some sensors) but is sold by a non-aligned power. For a country like Malaysia or Argentina, that’s a very attractive package. It’s reliable, it’s modern, and it doesn't come with a lecture on foreign policy.
Misconceptions You Should Stop Believing
- "It's just a copy of a Mirage." Nope. While it uses a delta wing like the Mirage 2000, the internal structure, fly-by-wire logic, and material science are completely different. It's like saying a Ford is a copy of a Toyota because they both have four wheels.
- "It’s too late to be useful." This was a valid criticism ten years ago. But with the Mk1A and the upcoming Mk2, the Tejas has skipped a generation of electronics. It is more digitally advanced than many F-16s currently flying in other air forces.
- "HAL can't build them fast enough." This used to be true. Production was stuck at 8 jets a year. HAL has since opened a second and third production line in Bengaluru, aiming for 16-24 jets per year. They're finally treating it like a real factory, not a hobby shop.
What’s Next for the Tejas?
The future is the Tejas Mk2. This is going to be a much larger aircraft. It’ll have "canards" (those little mini-wings near the cockpit), more fuel capacity, and the more powerful GE F414 engine. It’s basically moving from the "Light" category into the "Medium" category, directly competing with the Rafale and the F-16.
But for now, the Mk1A is the focus.
The IAF needs numbers. They are down to 30-odd squadrons when they need 42. The Tejas is the only way to fill those hangars without spending the entire national budget on foreign imports.
Actionable Insights for Defense Enthusiasts
If you're following the trajectory of the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft, keep your eyes on these specific milestones over the next 18 months:
- Uttam Radar Integration: Watch for the transition from the Israeli EL/M-2052 to the indigenous Uttam AESA radar. This is the final step in true "Atmanirbhar" (self-reliance) for the jet's sensors.
- Weapon Certification: Track the testing of the Astra Mk2 missile on the Tejas platform. A homegrown jet with a homegrown long-range missile changes the balance of power in the subcontinent.
- Export Deals: Keep an eye on defense expos in Asia and Africa. If HAL bags its first export customer, the unit cost of the Tejas will drop significantly, making it even more competitive.
- Mk2 First Flight: The prototype for the Mk2 is expected to roll out soon. This will be the clearest indicator of whether India can truly design a world-class medium-weight fighter.
The Tejas isn't a perfect airplane, but it's a monumental achievement for a country that was primarily a buyer for sixty years. It's finally time to stop looking at what it was supposed to be in the 90s and start looking at what it is today: a capable, modern, and increasingly lethal fighter.