India now expects the delivery of F-404 jet engines for its indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk1A by March-April 2025, after facing a significant two-year delay. This delay has led the Indian government to activate a penalty clause within the contract between General Electric (GE) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), sources have confirmed.

In February 2021, India’s Defence Ministry signed a ₹48,000-crore agreement with HAL to procure 83 LCA-Mk1As, a more advanced variant of the LCA Mk1 currently in operation. Following this, in August 2021, HAL secured a $716-million deal with GE to provide 99 F-404 engines and related support. The original delivery plan included the first three aircraft by February 2024, with 16 additional units expected annually over the next five years.

Although the delay has raised some concerns, sources attribute it to “logistical issues,” primarily stemming from global supply chain disruptions. At present, two engines are available, which will enable the delivery of two jets to the Indian Air Force (IAF) while GE works to resolve the delays. High-level meetings, including discussions with India’s National Security Adviser and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, have reportedly addressed the issue.

To mitigate the impact of the delay, HAL has decided to temporarily use Category-2 or refurbished engines until the F-404 engines are supplied, ensuring the aircraft program proceeds as planned.