The Crossbill News Desk
Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh, India’s Chief of Air Staff, has voiced strong concerns over persistent delays in defence procurement projects, warning that timelines continue to be missed despite the Indian Air Force entering contracts with prior knowledge of likely setbacks.
Speaking at the Confederation of Indian Industry’s annual business summit in New Delhi, the Air Chief questioned the practice of signing contracts that are unlikely to be honoured on schedule.
“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,” he said, as quoted by Deccan Herald.
Although he did not specify which project he was referring to, his remarks are believed to allude to the delay in delivery of the indigenous Tejas Light Combat Aircraft by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
The Ministry of Defence signed a Rs 45,696 crore contract with HAL in 2021 for 83 Tejas Mk-1 aircraft—73 fighters and 10 trainers—with deliveries scheduled to begin in March 2024. However, the timeline has slipped, reportedly due to delays in engine supply by US-based General Electric, which began delivering F404 engines only from March 2025.
“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,” Air Chief Marshal Singh said, reiterating concerns he had raised earlier at Aero India in Bengaluru and during his annual press briefing.
He also expressed frustration over a lack of accountability, remarking that defence forces often refrain from explicitly identifying underperformers.
“They were not calling a black sheep a black sheep,” he said.
With engine deliveries now underway, HAL is aiming to deliver 12 Tejas jets in 2025, with plans to ramp up production in subsequent years.
The Air Chief acknowledged the IAF’s traditionally outward-looking approach to procurement but said the focus is now shifting towards indigenous solutions, especially after a “rap on the knuckles” prompted a rethink.
“Atmanirbharta (self-sufficiency) in defence is key,” he added.
In a broader message, he urged all stakeholders involved in India’s defence ecosystem to take responsibility and plug gaps in the system.
“Building trust is not required with the armed forces, but retaining that trust depends on a lot of actions… we have to keep reinforcing that trust,” he said, as quoted by The Hindu.
Speaking at the Confederation of Indian Industry’s annual business summit in New Delhi, the Air Chief questioned the practice of signing contracts that are unlikely to be honoured on schedule.
“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,” he said, as quoted by Deccan Herald.
Although he did not specify which project he was referring to, his remarks are believed to allude to the delay in delivery of the indigenous Tejas Light Combat Aircraft by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
The Ministry of Defence signed a Rs 45,696 crore contract with HAL in 2021 for 83 Tejas Mk-1 aircraft—73 fighters and 10 trainers—with deliveries scheduled to begin in March 2024. However, the timeline has slipped, reportedly due to delays in engine supply by US-based General Electric, which began delivering F404 engines only from March 2025.
“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,” Air Chief Marshal Singh said, reiterating concerns he had raised earlier at Aero India in Bengaluru and during his annual press briefing.
He also expressed frustration over a lack of accountability, remarking that defence forces often refrain from explicitly identifying underperformers.
“They were not calling a black sheep a black sheep,” he said.
With engine deliveries now underway, HAL is aiming to deliver 12 Tejas jets in 2025, with plans to ramp up production in subsequent years.
The Air Chief acknowledged the IAF’s traditionally outward-looking approach to procurement but said the focus is now shifting towards indigenous solutions, especially after a “rap on the knuckles” prompted a rethink.
“Atmanirbharta (self-sufficiency) in defence is key,” he added.
In a broader message, he urged all stakeholders involved in India’s defence ecosystem to take responsibility and plug gaps in the system.
“Building trust is not required with the armed forces, but retaining that trust depends on a lot of actions… we have to keep reinforcing that trust,” he said, as quoted by The Hindu.
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