US-headquartered engine maker General Electric, on Wednesday said it had delivered the fourth engine for the under-production Tejas Mark 1-A jets, raising hopes for an early induction of the jet into the Indian Air Force that is facing a serious shortage.

The plane maker, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), is facing a delay in the supply of GE’s F-404 engines for the Tejas Mark-1A. Almost a dozen jets are ready at the HAL facility, however, so far only three engines had been supplied by the GE. In turn, this has meant not a single jet has been delivered to IAF.

As per a Rs 48,000-crore contract signed in January 2021, deliveries to IAF should have commenced in March 2024 while the F-404 engines from GE should have started coming at least a year prior to that date.

The Ministry of Defe

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