GE-HAL F414 Engine Deal Moves Closer

By BPN News Desk April 15, 2026

Defence

India and the United States have moved closer to a major fighter jet engine co-production arrangement, with GE Aerospace and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited reaching agreement on technical matters related to the F414 engine programme. The development is being described as a significant step

Op-Eds Opinion

Tejas Set To Fly Again, IAF Gets Back Critical Numbers It Cannot Spare

By BPN News Desk April 2, 2026

The clearance of the HAL Tejas Mk1 fleet to resume flying by April 8 may look like a routine operational update. It is anything but. For the Indian Air Force, which is already operating below its sanctioned fighter strength, this is the return of capacity it simply cannot afford to lose, even temporarily. Tejas Clearance […]

Op-Eds Opinion

GE Engine Delays Expose India’s Biggest Defence Weakness

By BPN News Desk April 2, 2026

India’s Tejas Mk1A program was supposed to mark a turning point. An indigenous fighter, built at scale, ready to replace aging fleets and strengthen the Indian Air Force’s thinning squadron numbers. Instead, it has exposed a far more uncomfortable truth. India can now build fighter jets, but it still cannot control whether they fly. HAL […]

Op-Eds Opinion

Government Moves from Default HAL Allocation to Competitive Bidding

By BPN News Desk March 4, 2026

For decades, major fighter aircraft programs in India flowed almost automatically to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. That arrangement was rarely questioned. HAL was the national integrator, the state-backed aerospace champion, and the default prime. The recent structuring of the 114 Rafale local production program involving Tata and the decision not to automatically route

Op-Eds Opinion

The Real Risk Is Not Tejas Crashing – It’s HAL Moving Too Slowly

By BPN News Desk February 23, 2026

The recent dip in HAL’s share price after a Tejas training accident is a textbook case of misplaced panic. Predictable anxiety over a runway overshoot and a temporarily grounded fleet has dominated the headlines, but these are just the surface-level optics. In the high-stakes world of fighter jet development, hardware failures are a part of […]

Defence National

HAL Provided 24×7 Support in Operation Sindoor

By BPN News Desk October 18, 2025

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday that Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) extended round-the-clock support to the Indian Air Force (IAF) during Operation Sindoor. The aerospace major kept fighter jets and helicopters mission-ready at various operational sites. Continuous Maintenance for IAF According to Singh, HAL staff worked tirelessly to ensure that IAF

Defence National

HAL’s Third Tejas Line Boosts India’s Aerospace Power

By BPN News Desk October 17, 2025

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has set up a third production line for the LCA Tejas at its Nashik facility, augmenting its existing two lines in Bengaluru. This expansion is expected to raise the total aircraft manufacturing capacity from 16 to 24 jets per year. Strategic autonomy advanced This move aligns with India’s aim of defence […]

Op-Eds Opinion

Tejas Mk2 and the Engine Dilemma: Why HAL Won’t Ditch GE

By BPN News Desk September 26, 2025

The past few weeks have seen a swirl of speculation around India’s Tejas Mk2 fighter jet and whether it might swap its General Electric F414 engine for a French alternative from Safran. For an aircraft that has been under development for years, the idea of an engine switch has sparked curiosity and headlines. But as […]

Defence National

HAL Receives Third GE-404 Engine For LCA Mark-1A

By BPN News Desk September 11, 2025

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has received the third GE-404 (F404-IN20) engine from the United States for its Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mark-1A programme. The fourth engine is expected to arrive in India by the end of this month. Engine Order And Supply Plan HAL is slated to receive 12 GE-404 engines by the end of […]

Expert Opinions Opinion

Tejas Mk 1A – A Milestone in India’s Quest for Self-Reliance

By BPN News Desk August 20, 2025

The recent approval of a ₹62,000 crore order for 97 Tejas Mk 1A fighter jets marks one of the most important milestones in India’s defense modernization journey. For decades, India’s reliance on imported fighters — from the MiG-21s of the Soviet era to the modern Rafales from France — highlighted a persistent gap in indigenous […]