Less than two months after retiring as Vice Chief of the Indian Air Force, Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor (Retd) has criticized the prolonged delay in the delivery of Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) fighters to the IAF, questioning why the service continues to face setbacks in receiving an aircraft that was promised years ago with specific capabilities.
Kapoor expressed frustration over the delays, saying the IAF should not be “hamstrung” because a supplier has failed to meet its commitments.
The delivery of indigenous Tejas Mk1A fighters by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has been delayed by several years. Key factors behind the delays include late deliveries of F404-IN20 engines by US-based GE Aerospace, the complexity of mission software validation and the stringent operational requirements laid down by the IAF.
Kapoor also raised questions about the future operational relevance of the more advanced Tejas Mk2. Asked whether the aircraft would remain relevant when it begins entering service in significant numbers in the mid-2030s, particularly as China rapidly expands its fleet of fifth-generation fighters, he gave a blunt assessment: “No, operationally, definitely no.”
The concern comes at a time when China is expected to have a large fleet of J-20 fifth-generation fighters by the end of the decade, while India is still working towards receiving its first squadron of Tejas Mk1A aircraft. The IAF has placed orders for 180 Tejas Mk1A fighters, while HAL is currently targeting deliveries of the first 18–25 aircraft by March 2027.
Despite his concerns, Kapoor did not dismiss the importance of Tejas Mk2 altogether. He noted that even with fifth- and sixth-generation fighters entering service, India would need a larger number of aircraft to cover its vast geographical requirements.
According to Kapoor, advanced fighters such as the fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) and future sixth-generation platforms could form the high-end component of the IAF’s combat fleet, while aircraft such as Tejas Mk2 could continue to fill operational gaps that cannot be covered by smaller numbers of more sophisticated fighters.
“I want Tejas Mk-2 to come, I want India’s 5th-gen AMCA to come. But they must come at a much faster speed,” he said.
On Russia’s Su-57 fifth-generation fighter, Kapoor argued that Western platforms such as the US F-35 currently hold an advantage in areas including avionics and stealth capabilities.
The former IAF vice chief also advocated greater international collaboration for India’s future sixth-generation fighter ambitions. He suggested that India should consider joining major multinational programmes such as the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), being developed by France, Germany and Spain, or the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), a sixth-generation fighter initiative involving the UK, Italy and Japan.
Kapoor questioned whether India should spend decades moving incrementally through successive generations of fighter technology when advanced international programmes are already under development.
His comments highlight a major strategic challenge for India’s air-power planners: addressing the IAF’s immediate shortage of fighter squadrons while simultaneously ensuring that the country’s indigenous aerospace programmes keep pace with the rapid technological evolution of modern combat aviation.
