India’s $22 billion defense push can’t hide its missing fighter jets

India’s military modernization drive has a core problem. While officials keep approving billions of dollars in new weapons, the country’s aerospace industry is struggling to deliver aircraft ordered years ago The gap raises questions about the country’s industrial capacity, its dependence on foreign technology and its military readiness at a time of regional security pressure. On October 26, India’s Defence Acquisition Council, chaired by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, granted “acceptance of necessity” to proposals worth about 2.12 trillion rupees (US$22 billion) across the armed forces. The package includes outlays for helicopters, air-defense systems, weapons and surveillance equipment. About 82% of the proposed procurement is intended to come from Indian industry. These are in-principle approvals, not signed contracts or expenditure already incurred. Nor does the domestic procurement target lay out the final indigenous content of individual systems. The announcement signals India’s determination to modernize its forces, but its rupee value says little about when the military equipment will actually become operational. Two existing aerospace programs show why. The C295 transport: manufacturing ambitions meet production reality The Tata Advanced Systems-Airbus C295 program was meant to mark India’s shift from importing military aircraft to building them. The contract, signed in September 2021 for 21,935 crore rupees ($2.3 billion), covers 56 transport planes. Sixteen were delivered from Spain, while the remaining 40 were to be built and assembled in India. The final assembly line in Vadodara, inaugurated on October 28, 2024, became a centerpiece of the government’s “Make in India” initiative. The first Indian-assembled aircraft rolled out in May this year and made its maiden flight on June 10. However, its expected September delivery slipped after technical problems emerged during production testing. Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh said in October that fixing them could take another one to two months. Despite the setback, the C295 program has real achievements, including creation of a domestic assembly line and a growing supplier network. But finishing an aircraft, conducting its maiden flight, winning formal military acceptance and putting it into operational service are all separate milestones. Five years after the contract was signed, the first Indian-assembled C295 had still not been delivered to the Indian Air Force as of late October 2026. Tejas fighter shows integration limitations Hindustan Aeronautics’ Tejas Mk-1A program’s shortcomings are more consequential. In February 2021, India ordered 83 of the jets, specifically 73 single-seat fighters and 10 trainers, for about 46,898 crore rupees ($4.94 billion), with deliveries due to begin in March 2024. By October this year, the Indian Air Force had not received a single one. The delays have exposed problems beyond manufacturing. GE Aerospace’s F404 engine deliveries have fallen behind schedule, while radar integration, software validation and weapons certification have also stalled. By October 7, GE had shipped 14 engines. Hindustan Aeronautics reported 27 airframes ready in September, but unresolved integration and testing issues continued to hold up handovers. An earlier order for 40 Tejas Mk-1 aircraft was completed only in September, nearly a decade after its contractual deadline. The contrast with the C295 program is revealing. The C295 primarily tests whether India can run licensed manufacturing, coordinate suppliers and complete certification. The Tejas adds the integration of engines, sensors, weapons and software in a sophisticated combat aircraft. Domestic assembly capability, therefore, does not automatically establish technological independence or operational readiness. The delays come at a costly moment. India’s fighter fleet has shrunk to about 29 squadrons, against an authorized strength of 42.5. China’s expanding aerospace capabilities and Pakistan’s ongoing fighter modernization put pressure on India’s air-power planners, especially as older aircraft approach retirement. Delivery, not announcements Both programs point to weaknesses in manufacturing execution, overreliance on foreign suppliers and predictable delivery timelines. India’s Kaveri engine program shows how deep the problem runs. Decades of research have produced prototype engines, flight-testing experience and technical advances, but not yet an engine capable of powering the operational Tejas fleet. Fixing all this will take more than new procurement announcements. Contracts will need to set measurable milestones for component supply, systems integration, certification and military acceptance. Agreements with foreign engine suppliers, meanwhile, need enforceable delivery commitments, realistic schedules and backup plans for disruptions. Regular public reports should separate aircraft assembled, aircraft in testing, aircraft accepted by the air force and aircraft in operational service, so policymakers can identify bottlenecks rather than treat production announcements as proof of readiness. Manufacturers, foreign suppliers, certification authorities and military users also need to coordinate more closely; penalties alone cannot fix engineering or integration failures. India’s growing supplier base and aerospace infrastructure give it a foundation for greater self-reliance, but their strategic value depends on consistently delivering certified aircraft and critical components. The October 26 approvals address genuine military needs. Whether they produce dependable capability will depend on whether India’s procurement institutions can turn industrial ambition into dependable operational capability. For New Delhi, the test of self-reliance won’t be measured in billions of approved contracts or inaugurated new factories but in how many operational aircraft are delivered on time. Saima Afzal is a researcher specializing in South Asian security, counterterrorism, and broader geopolitical dynamics across the Middle East, Afghanistan and the Indo-Pacific. She is currently a research scholar at Justus Liebig University, Germany.