India’s Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh has issued a strong critique of the delays plaguing major defence procurement projects, particularly those involving indigenous manufacturing. Speaking at the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Annual Business Summit, he expressed frustration over the persistent failure to meet delivery schedules.
‘We Sign Contracts Knowing Systems Won’t Arrive’
“Many times, we know while signing contracts that those systems will never come. Timelines are a big issue. Not a single project I can think of is completed on time. Why should we promise something that cannot be achieved?” the Air Chief stated candidly.
He cited the delay in the delivery of Tejas Mk1A fighter jets as a prime example. The Rs 48,000 crore contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) was signed in February 2021, with deliveries expected to begin by March 2024. However, not a single aircraft has been delivered so far.
Multiple Projects Affected by Delays
Air Chief Marshal Singh pointed out that numerous indigenous projects have faced similar setbacks. “Deliveries of Tejas Mk1 are delayed. The prototype of Tejas Mk2 is yet to roll out. There is no prototype yet of the stealth AMCA fighter,” he said, highlighting how project stagnation undermines operational preparedness.
Push for Indigenisation Under Atmanirbhar Bharat
Reinforcing the need for domestic capability, he said, “We cannot just talk about producing in India, we need to talk about designing. We need to have trust between the forces and industry. We need to be very open. Once we have committed to something, we should deliver. Air Force is trying to do its best to make in India.”
He added, “We have to be now-ready to be future-ready. In 10 years, we will have more output from industry, but what we need today, we need today. We need to quickly get our act together. Wars are won by empowering our forces.”
Lessons from Operation Sindoor
His comments come in the backdrop of Operation Sindoor, launched in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26. Indian intelligence has linked the attack to Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba and military elements. India’s retaliatory action reportedly neutralised over 100 terrorists.
Referencing the operation, Singh said, “Operation Sindoor, as it was told by the Chief of Naval Staff, the character of war is changing. Every day, we are finding new technologies coming in. Operation Sindoor has given us a clear idea of where we are headed and what we need in future.”
He also noted the recent approval for private sector participation in the AMCA (Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft) project, calling it a significant move. “AMCA… has been cleared for even participation by private industry, which is a very big step, and that is the kind of confidence that the nation has in private industry today,” he said.
Not Singh’s First Critique
This isn’t the first time Air Chief Marshal Singh has raised red flags over India’s defence production pace. Upon taking charge in October last year, he warned, “As far as production rates are concerned, we are way behind. We need to catch up.”
In February, a leaked recording revealed him voicing doubts about HAL’s efficiency. While seated inside an HJT-36 Yashas cockpit, he said, “I can tell you what our requirements and worries are. I was promised that when I come here in February, 11 Tejas Mk1As would be ready. And not a single one is ready… But I find that HAL is just not in mission mode.”
