Despite being approved by New Delhi months ago, India’s Light Combat Aircraft, LCA Tejas Mk2 program is currently languishing without the necessary funding. The Tejas Mk2 is crucial in providing the Indian Air Force (IAF) with a 4.5-generation medium-weight-class fighter aircraft that is designed to be an improvement over the fourth-generation Tejas Mk1 aircraft currently in IAF service. Without adequate funding, the program will fall behind and the IAF will suffer the consequences.
Based on the available information, it has been discovered that the Indian government has added a clause to the funding approval which specifies that the funds will only be released if the US government approves a 100% transfer of jet engine technology to India. This clause appears to be related to India’s decision in 2010 to choose the General Electric (GE) F414-INS6 engine for the Tejas Mk2, as previously disclosed by GE and India’s Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), which is a state-owned agency under the DRDO.
“The clause states that the money will be released if the US government agrees to transfer the technology of the F414-INS6 engine,” a source told Janes.