IAF Chief flags concerns over delays in defence acquisition projects

New Delhi: Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal A P Singh on Thursday voiced his concerns on the delay in receiving critical platforms from the industry, noting that at times, the IAF signs contracts knowing fully well that the equipment would not be delivered on time.

“Why should we promise something, which can’t be achieved. While signing the contract itself, sometimes we are sure that it is not going to come up (in time), but we just sign the contract, thinking we will see what to do. Obviously, the process gets vitiated,” the Indian Air Force chief said here at the CII annual business summit.

Even though Air Chief Marshal Singh didn’t identify any project, the clear reference is Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s inability to deliver the combat-ready Tejas light combat aircraft on time to the force, which is struggling with a dwindling squadron strength.

The Defence Ministry in 2021 signed an agreement with the HAL to supply 83 LCA Tejas Mk-1 – 73 fighters and 10 trainers – to the IAF at a cost of Rs 45,696 crore.

The delivery was to begin from March 2024, but it didn’t happen due to US major General Electric’s failure to supply the engines on time.

At the industry summit, Air Chief Marshal Singh said, “Timeline is a big issue. Not a single project that I can think of was completed on time. This is something, which we have to look at.”

This is not the first time the outspoken chief is flagging his concerns about a depleted inventory. He raised the issue at the Aero India in Bengaluru as well as at his annual press conference last year when he said the IAF would fight with whatever it had.

Air Chief Marshal Singh said defence forces showed restraint as "they were not calling a black sheep a black sheep".

With GE commencing the supply of F404 engines from March, sources said HAL hoped to deliver 12 Tejas LCA aircraft in 2025 and the number would go up from next year.

Chief of the Air Staff admitted that the IAF was mostly outward looking when it came to procurements but a “rap on the knuckles” made it look inwards. “Atmanirbharta (self-sufficiency) in defence is key," he added.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft programme, approved earlier this week, would give the private sector firms an opportunity for the first time to compete with the public sector companies in a mega defence project.

“Under the AMCA project, the plan is to develop five prototypes, which will be followed by series production,” the minister said.