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Air Chief Marshal A P Singh says delays in adding new fighter aircraft are hurting the Indian Air Force (IAF). Hindustan Times reported on 3 October 2026 that the IAF has 30 fighter squadrons against a stated target of 42, and Singh said it needs to induct 36–40 aircraft each year to stop its strength from falling and begin rebuilding it. The immediate concern is the delayed LCA Mk-1A; other programmes cited as potential additions include a proposed multi-role fighter aircraft (MRFA) acquisition and 12 additional Su-30s.
Why does the Air Chief say delays are hurting the IAF?
The issue is the gap between the number of fighter aircraft the IAF needs to add and the pace at which new aircraft are expected to become available. Singh said the force needs to induct two fighter squadrons a year—36–40 aircraft—to stop falling below its reported current strength of 30 squadrons and move toward a target of 42. These figures and the annual requirement were reported by Hindustan Times; they are not independently verified official strength figures in the reporting available here.
“There is some extra delay this time, and there is no doubt that it is going to hurt us,” Singh said, according to the outlet. He also said the IAF needs to induct “anything between 36 and 40 aircraft” annually, adding that it needs even more than that. These quotations are reproduced by Hindustan Times, rather than checked against an official transcript.
What is delayed in the LCA Mk-1A programme?
The LCA Mk-1A is the immediate focus of the reported delay. Hindustan Times said the first aircraft under the IAF’s initial order was due in March 2024, but that deadline was missed. It attributed the delay to late supply of GE Aerospace F404-IN20 engines and delays in key certifications. The outlet reported that induction was expected to begin by the end of 2026; that is a forecast, not confirmation that deliveries or induction have since occurred.
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A DRDO-hosted compilation of newspaper clippings dated 18 February 2025 also preserves earlier public discussion of Mk-1A readiness and the missed March 2024 deadline. It is a collection of press coverage, not a primary programme record.
Which programmes could add fighter aircraft?
Hindustan Times identified the Mk-1A, a proposed MRFA acquisition and additional Su-30 aircraft as possible contributors to future induction. Their status and reported rates differ: the Mk-1A is under order but delayed, while the MRFA arrangement is prospective. The outlet did not provide comparable verified delivery histories for all three.
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| Programme | Status in the report | Reported quantity or pace | What is established about timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| LCA Mk-1A | Two orders reported | 180 total: 83 ordered in February 2021 and 97 in September 2025; combined reported value ₹1.1 lakh crore (Hindustan Times) | First aircraft under the initial order was due March 2024; that deadline was missed. Induction was forecast to begin by end-2026 (Hindustan Times). |
| MRFA / Rafale | Proposed acquisition, not a completed arrangement | Singh reportedly estimated about 12 aircraft annually if the deal went through. The report described 20 Rafales supplied in fly-away condition and the remainder made in India by Dassault Aviation with a local partner. | No confirmed delivery schedule is established by the report. |
| Su-30 | Additional aircraft mentioned under contract | 12 aircraft; Singh reportedly gave an illustrative expectation of six in each of two years. | The report does not establish completed deliveries or a verified schedule. |
The order totals, reported value, MRFA structure and rates above are figures attributed to Hindustan Times, not independently checked against contract documents. In particular, a proposed MRFA contribution should not be counted as aircraft already inducted.
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Can the expected production rates meet the stated annual need?
Singh reportedly cited a HAL production rate of 20 Mk-1As per year and estimated that a proposed MRFA arrangement could yield about 12 annually. Together, those two rates would amount to 32 aircraft a year if both were achieved at the stated pace—below the 36–40 annual induction requirement he gave. That simple comparison does not account for the Su-30s, changes to any programme’s schedule, or the distinction between production and actual induction; it illustrates why the reported forecasts are not, by themselves, proof that the IAF’s stated requirement will be met.
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