IAF Fighter Squadrons Drop to 29 as A.P. Singh Flags Tejas Mk1A Delays
The Indian Air Force’s fighter squadron strength has slipped to 29, far below the sanctioned strength of 42, as delays in the Tejas Mk1A programme continue to affect the service’s attempt to rebuild its fleet. Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh said on Saturday, 3 October 2026, that the postponement in deliveries from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited was “hurting” the force.
Addressing his annual press conference in New Delhi ahead of the 94th Air Force Day on 8 October, Air Chief Marshal Singh said the delay in the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas Mk1A had gone well beyond the kind of routine slippage that defence projects sometimes face. The briefing was also his final one as Chief of the Air Staff before his retirement on 31 October.
“It happens that you plan something, but things get delayed. But this time, the delay has been much,” he said. Responding to a question on the schedule slip in deliveries by HAL, he added: “It is going to hurt us.” Reiterating a line he has used before, he said, “technology delayed is technology denied,” and noted that the programme was now running about two years behind schedule.
At the same time, he sought to reassure that the reduced number of fighter squadrons does not leave the IAF incapable of meeting its tasks. “We have less numbers, but we are not weak,” he said.
The fighter squadron shortfall
The latest fall in strength follows the retirement of the last MiG-21 Bison units in September 2025. Depending on how the authorised strength is counted, the IAF is now at 29 squadrons against a sanctioned figure often placed at 42, though some accounts put the authorised strength at 42.5. Either way, the force remains well below the level that has long been viewed as the minimum needed for a two-front contingency.
Air Chief Marshal Singh said the IAF would need to induct roughly two squadrons a year — about 36 to 40 fighter aircraft — merely to halt the decline from around 30 squadrons and begin moving back towards the sanctioned level. In later years, he said, the requirement would be even higher.
The shortfall could widen further if new aircraft do not enter service fast enough. Three MiG-29 squadrons and six Jaguar squadrons are due to retire towards the end of the decade, adding more pressure on the force structure.
Tejas Mk1A: contracted, but still not delivered
The Tejas Mk1A has become the centrepiece of the IAF’s near-term modernisation plans, but its delivery schedule has slipped sharply. In February 2021, the Ministry of Defence signed a contract worth about ₹48,000 crore with HAL for 83 Tejas Mk1A aircraft — 73 fighters and 10 trainers. The first aircraft was supposed to be delivered in March 2024, but none has been handed over so far.
A second order was signed in September 2025 for ₹62,370 crore for 97 more Mk1A aircraft, including 68 single-seaters and 29 twin-seaters. Together, the two contracts cover 180 aircraft valued at roughly ₹1.1 lakh crore. Deliveries under the second order are scheduled between September 2027 and September 2033, while completion of the first 83-aircraft contract has now been pushed towards 2031.
Initial delays were linked to the supply of General Electric F404-IN20 engines. GE Aerospace has since delivered engines, and airframes have been fitted, but the aircraft still require clearance for radar, weapons integration and software validation before induction. In September 2026, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had already raised the delivery delays with HAL.
What the IAF is counting on to recover numbers
Air Chief Marshal Singh outlined the programmes that the IAF expects to rely on to restore squadron strength over the coming years.
The first is the Tejas Mk1A, provided HAL can sustain the output it has indicated. He said the company has spoken of producing up to 24 aircraft a year, and that even 20 aircraft annually would make a meaningful difference.
The second is the Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft programme. In February 2026, the government cleared a proposal for 114 Rafale fighters under a government-to-government framework with France. Air Chief Marshal Singh said he hoped the contract could be signed in the current financial year “if things go well,” while adding that negotiations remain a two-way process. If the deal is concluded, it could eventually deliver around 12 aircraft a year, with some supplied in fly-away condition and the rest manufactured in India.
The IAF is also counting on 12 additional Su-30MKI aircraft already on order, along with the Tejas Mk2, whose prototype maiden flight is planned for 2027.
Beyond these, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft — India’s indigenous fifth-generation fighter programme — remains the longer-term solution, according to the Air Chief. He was clear, however, that if AMCA faces further delay, the Air Force may need to explore other options. “We have to look at some other platforms if there are delays in AMCA,” he said. Russia has offered the Su-57, though no decision has been taken.
Air Chief Marshal Singh said the combined effect of Tejas Mk1A deliveries, the proposed MRFA procurement, the additional Su-30MKI aircraft and other planned inductions could bring annual fighter additions into the range of 35 to 40 aircraft. “All these programmes need to be pushed with the whole-of-nation approach — and that is being done,” he said.
For now, though, the Air Force remains in a holding pattern. The remarks made by the outgoing Air Chief place the Tejas Mk1A schedule at the heart of the IAF’s near-term force planning, with older aircraft continuing to retire faster than new fighters are entering service.
