New Delhi: Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh has raised sharp concerns over persistent delays in India’s defence procurement programmes, calling for greater accountability and urgency.
Speaking at the CII Annual Business Summit in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the IAF chief said timelines were a major problem in defence deals, and that several contracts were signed despite knowing the systems might never arrive on time — or at all.
“Timelines are a big issue. Not a single project I can think of is completed on time. Many times, we sign contracts knowing they may never be fulfilled. Why promise something that can’t be delivered?” he said.
Singh pointed specifically to indigenous programmes facing long delays. He cited the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk1A project, under which the Indian Air Force signed a Rs 48,000 crore contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in February 2021 for 83 jets. Not one has been delivered yet, despite deliveries being scheduled to begin in March 2024.
“There’s no prototype of the Tejas Mk2 yet. And the stealth AMCA fighter hasn’t even seen a prototype,” he added.
His remarks come at a time when the IAF is pushing for rapid indigenisation and self-reliance under the government’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative.
“We can’t just talk about manufacturing in India — we must design in India. We need stronger trust between the armed forces and industry, and transparency. Once committed, we must deliver. The Air Force is doing its best to support Make in India,” he said.
He urged industry and policymakers to focus on immediate operational needs rather than long-term promises. “We must be ready now to be future-ready. What we need today, we need today. Wars are won by empowering our forces, not waiting for future capability.”
