Tejas questions, answered.

The LCA (Light Combat Aircraft) Tejas is an Indian single-engine, fourth-generation, multirole light fighter designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) with HAL's Aircraft Research and Design Centre (ARDC) for the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy. It first flew in 2001, was named "Tejas" in 2003 and entered IAF squadron service in July 2016.^1,3 All Tejas variants →

Tejas is Sanskrit for "radiance" or "brilliance". Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee gave the Light Combat Aircraft its name on 4 May 2003.³ Programme timeline →

ADA leads the design, and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) builds the aircraft. HAL assembles the Tejas on two production lines in Bengaluru and, since 17 October 2025, on a third line at Nashik, giving a combined capacity of 24 aircraft a year.^3,6

Yes. The Tejas is an indigenous Indian programme, designed by ADA and built by HAL. Some major systems are imported, notably the GE F404 engine, but the 97 Mk1A ordered in 2025 are to have more than 64% indigenous content, including the Indian-developed UTTAM AESA radar.⁵ About the engine →

Generation labels are informal and sources vary. The Tejas is generally described as a fourth-generation fighter, while the Ministry of Defence calls the upgraded Mk1A — with its AESA radar, electronic-warfare suite, beyond-visual-range missiles and air-to-air refuelling — a "4+ generation" fighter aircraft.⁴

Technology Demonstrator TD-1 made the first flight on 4 January 2001 from Bengaluru. The Tejas received Initial Operational Clearance in December 2013 and Final Operational Clearance in February 2019.³ Full timeline →

A tailless compound delta-wing design built from aluminium-lithium alloys, carbon-fibre composites and titanium. Carbon-fibre composites make up about 45% of the airframe by weight and about 90% of its surface area. The design uses relaxed static stability with fly-by-wire flight control.^1,3 Inside the airframe →

Official figures differ: HAL quotes Mach 1.6 and Jane's Mach 1.8, reached at high altitude — roughly 1,700–1,910 km/h there. ADA describes it simply as supersonic at all altitudes.^1,2,3 Full specifications →

The Tejas Mk1 is 13.2 m long with an 8.2 m wingspan. It weighs about 6,560 kg empty and up to 13,500 kg at maximum take-off.^1,2 Dimensions and weights →

The Mk1 uses the Israeli Elta EL/M-2032 multi-mode radar. The first 83 Mk1A are reported to get the EL/M-2052 AESA radar, and the 97 Mk1A ordered in 2025 get India's own UTTAM AESA radar.^3,5 Avionics and sensors →

The Tejas has fired the R-73 and Python-5 short-range air-to-air missiles and the Derby beyond-visual-range missile, and in August 2023 it test-fired India's own Astra beyond-visual-range missile. It also carries laser-guided bombs, drop tanks and a 23 mm GSh-23 gun.^1,13,14,21 Armament →

ADA describes an advanced digital glass cockpit with open-system-architecture avionics, a multi-mode radar and an integrated electronic-warfare suite, with the pilot flying through a fly-by-wire flight-control system.¹ Avionics and cockpit →

The Tejas Mk1 and Mk1A are powered by the GE F404-IN20 afterburning turbofan, rated in the 84 kN class with afterburner. The Tejas Mk2 moves to the more powerful GE F414-INS6, while the indigenous Kaveri engine programme continues in parallel.⁹ The engine story →

HAL ordered 99 GE F404 engines in January 2021 for the first 83 Mk1A, and signed for 113 more F404 engines with a support package on 7 November 2025 for the 97-aircraft batch.¹⁰ Engine supply →

That is the plan. HAL and GE signed an agreement in June 2023 to build the F414 in India for the Tejas Mk2, and technical and technology-transfer talks were reported concluded in April 2026. The production contract is the next step.¹¹ About the F414 →

The Tejas flies with the GE F404. Kaveri work continues separately: a non-afterburning derivative for unmanned combat aircraft and a planned higher-thrust Kaveri 2.0.¹² The Kaveri track →

The Indian Air Force has received all 40 Tejas Mk1 it ordered — 32 fighters and 8 twin-seat trainers — with the last two delivered in September 2026. A further 180 Tejas Mk1A are on order.⁷ See all variants →

No. 45 Squadron "Flying Daggers" became the first Tejas squadron on 1 July 2016, followed by No. 18 Squadron "Flying Bullets". No. 3 Squadron "Cobras", a former MiG-21 unit, is widely reported to be the first Mk1A squadron.^3,7

180 in total: 83 ordered in February 2021 (73 fighters and 10 trainers) and 97 ordered on 25 September 2025 (68 fighters and 29 twin-seaters).^4,5 About the Mk1A →

HAL has built 27 Mk1A airframes and is completing engine deliveries and final radar and weapons integration, with the first handover to the IAF targeted for around the end of 2026. Deliveries of the second batch of 97 are scheduled to start in 2027-28 and run over six years.^5,8 Mk1A status →

Up to 24. The third production line at HAL Nashik, inaugurated on 17 October 2025, adds eight aircraft a year to the Bengaluru lines, taking total capacity to 24 aircraft a year.⁶

The Light Combat Aircraft programme was sanctioned in 1983 to replace the MiG-21. The IAF retired its last MiG-21s on 26 September 2025 after 62 years of service, and the Tejas is taking up its role: No. 3 Squadron "Cobras", a former MiG-21 unit, is widely reported to be the first Mk1A squadron.^3,19 Programme timeline →

The Mk2 is a larger, medium-weight development of the Tejas with close-coupled canards and the GE F414-INS6 engine, designed for a maximum take-off weight of about 17.5 tonnes and a 6.5-tonne weapons load. HAL targets engine ground runs in March 2027 and a first flight by mid-2027; these dates are targets.¹⁸ About the Mk2 →

Naval prototypes proved it can: the first arrested landing on INS Vikramaditya on 11 January 2020, a ski-jump take-off the next day, and a landing on India's home-built carrier INS Vikrant on 6 February 2023.^3,15 The naval prototypes →

The naval Tejas prototypes serve as technology demonstrators: they proved carrier operations, and their experience feeds India's next carrier fighter, the TEDBF. India also signed for 26 Rafale-M carrier fighters in April 2025.^16,17

The Twin Engine Deck-Based Fighter (TEDBF) is a canard-delta, twin-engine carrier fighter being designed by ADA, to be built by HAL, for the Indian Navy. It builds on the naval Tejas programme and is in the design phase; a first flight has been reported as expected around 2032.¹⁶

There is no official unit price, only contract values. The February 2021 contract for 83 Mk1A was valued at close to ₹48,000 crore (₹45,696 crore for the aircraft plus ₹1,202 crore for design and infrastructure), and the September 2025 contract for 97 Mk1A at over ₹62,370 crore excluding taxes, including associated equipment. Dividing gives roughly ₹550–645 crore per aircraft, but these derived figures include more than the airframe.^4,5

In December 2023 HAL's chairman said Nigeria, the Philippines, Argentina and Egypt had shown interest in the Tejas. HAL continues to present the Tejas to air forces abroad.²⁰

Our gallery collects photos of the Tejas, each credited to its source. Open the gallery →