GE Aerospace Ships Four Additional F404-IN20 Engines to India for HAL-Built LCA Mk-1A Fighter Programme

Key facts

• United States firm GE Aerospace shipped four F404-IN20 engines to India in September 2026 for the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk-1A built by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), in addition to 10 engines already supplied.
• The Indian Air Force (IAF) has placed two orders for 180 LCA Mk-1A fighter jets worth a combined ₹1.1 lakh crore: 83 aircraft contracted in February 2021 and 97 fighters contracted in September 2025.
• Deliveries under the first contract are likely to begin in December, with both the IAF and HAL expecting the fighter to enter service by year-end; the original March 2024 deadline was missed due to delayed engine supplies and certification delays.
• GE Aerospace is expected to deliver more than 20 engines annually from 2027 onwards, while HAL can build 24 LCA Mk-1A jets per year at its Bengaluru and Nashik production lines.
• On October 3, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh said India needs to produce up to 40 aircraft a year to plug capability gaps and prevent the IAF's combat squadron count from falling below 30.
• The LCA Mk-1A will replace the IAF's MiG-21 fighters, which retired after more than six decades of service.